Divine Mercy Hills Shrine

15/11/2017

Thousands of Christians in an impoverished county in rural southeast China required by Chinese government to replace their posters of Jesus for portraits of President Xi Jinping in order to receive poverty-relief aid that seeks to “transform believers in religion into believers in the party”.

The Communist Party, the officially atheist party, is competing for influence with Christianity, which has spread rapidly in both poor rural villages and prosperous cities since the end of the Cultural Revolution more than 40 years ago. By some estimates, Christians in China now outnumber the 90 million members of the party.

Thousands of Christians in an impoverished county in rural southeast China have swapped their posters of Jesus for portraits of President Xi Jinping as part of a local government poverty-relief programme that seeks to “transform believers in religion into believers in the party”. Located on the edge

15/11/2017

A Catholic bishop has lauded the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in its bid to protect and promote the rights of migrant workers across the region.

The leaders of the 10-member states of the ASEAN gathered in Manila for a week-long summit are expected to sign on Tuesday a landmark document on the protection of migrant workers.

MANILA— A Catholic bishop has lauded the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in its bid to protect and promote the rights of migrant workers across the region.

15/11/2017

While the Chinese government technically recognizes Catholicism as one of five religions in the country, it does not recognize many Church leaders appointed by the Vatican, driving many among the Catholic Church leadership and laity underground.

The Chinese government established the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (PA), which is a sort of alternative ecclesiastical hierarchy officially recognized by the Chinese authorities.

President Xi Jinping of China announced this week that he wants to tighten Beijing’s strict government controls on religion in the communist country.

15/11/2017

Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations, said: "The international community must respond to the outrages systematically committed by Daesh with a rock-solid resolve to prevent similar future abominations from recurring."

The international community must respond to the outrages systematically committed by Daesh with a rock-solid resolve to prevent similar future abominations from recurring.

15/11/2017

The Vatican is using its U.N. position to challenge the world to rescue Iraq’s and Syria’s Christians and Yazidis, victims of horrendous Islamic State persecution and now on the verge of extinction.

In a U.N. forum sponsored by the Holy See Mission last Thursday titled, “Peace, Reconciliation and Justice for the religious and ethnic minorities victimized by Daesh [ISIS],” two survivors retold the horrors they suffered at the hands of ISIS militants who devastated communities in Syria and in Iraq’s Nineveh Plain.

The religious minorities of Iraq and Syria have recounted horrific accounts of their abuse at the hand of ISIS as the Vatican calls on the global community to address the plight of Christians and Yazidi communities and bring them back from the verge of extinction.

15/11/2017

After an earthquake along the Iraq-Iran border left some 340 people dead and another 4,000 injured, Pope Francis voiced his sorrow for the loss of life and offered prayer for the dead and for rescue efforts.

15/11/2017

The existence of nuclear weapons creates a false sense of security that holds international relations hostage and stifles peaceful coexistence, Pope Francis said.

“The threat of their use as well as their very possession is to be firmly condemned,” the pope told participants at a conference on nuclear disarmament hosted by the Vatican.

15/11/2017

Rome plastered with some 200 anti-Pope Francis posters.

However, after hearing about the posters, the Pope himself was reportedly unfazed, and didn’t make a big deal out of the incident.

While the Pope has in the past been depicted as a superhero or peace advocate, this weekend set a much different tone as Rome woke up Saturday to see the walls of the city center plastered with some 200 anti-Pope Francis posters.

15/11/2017

Seven weeks after Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico, the majority of the island is still without power, and many residents are without clean water as well.

While the rebuilding process is slow, Catholic aid groups are working to provide supplies to those who desperately need them.

Seven weeks after Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico, the majority of the island is still without power, and many residents are without clean water as well.

15/11/2017

Pope Francis sent a handwritten letter to a disabled soldier he met in Colombia this fall, thanking him for a special gesture at the Bogota airport, when the soldier gave him his military cap.

The pope told the soldier that their encounter touched him so much that he placed a photo of it in his study.

Pope Francis sent a handwritten letter to a disabled soldier he met in Colombia this fall, thanking him for a special gesture at the Bogota airport, when the soldier gave him his military cap.

13/02/2017

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

13/02/2017

St. Valentine was caught, imprisoned and tortured for performing marriage ceremonies against the command of Roman Emperor Claudius II.

Emperor Claudius II had an edict that prohibited the marriage of young people. This was based on the hypothesis that unmarried soldiers fought better than married soldiers because married soldiers might be afraid of what might happen to them or their wives or families if they die.

The idea of encouraging them to marry within the Christian church was what Valentine was about. And he secretly married them because of the edict.

In the year 269 AD, Valentine, a Roman Priest, was sentenced to a three-part ex*****on by a beating, stoning, and finally decapitation all because of his stand for Christian marriage.