East Texas Catholic

By Barb Fraze Catholic News Service

People cheer as a Christian Egyptian raises a cross and declares solidarity with the anti-government protesters in Tahrir Square in Cairo Feb. 9. Two priests with strong ties to Egypt said they feared young Egyptian Catholics will turn away from the chur ch because it did not back the protests that led to the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. (CNS photo/Yannis Behrakis, Reuters)

NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) — Two priests with strong ties to Egypt said they feared young Egyptian Catholics will turn away from the church because it did not back the protests that led to the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak.

“If we lose the youth in the church, then we are done,” said Father Makarios Isaac, an Egyptian-born priest of the Archdiocese of Toronto and an associate of Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers who is currently based in Kenya.

Father Isaac, originally ordained for the Coptic Catholic Diocese of Minya, Egypt, and the former diocesan development director there, said the main Muslim and Orthodox leaders forbade participation in the protests. He said the Coptic Catholic patriarch of Alexandria, Cardinal Antonios Naguib, told protesters to go home.

The priest said he feared young people will “turn their backs on the church” and say, “You never stood with us … you never taught us to stand up for our rights.” (more…)

Read Full Post »

By Catholic News Service

Young people wave flags atop an army vehicle at Tahrir Square in Cairo Feb. 12, a day after the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. Two priests with strong ties to Egypt said they feared young Egyptian Catholics will turn away from the church because it did not back the protests that led to Mubarak stepping down. (CNS photo/Dylan Martinez, Reuters)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican’s ambassador to Egypt said he hoped the country’s future would include greater social justice and greater freedom for all of the country’s people.

In an interview with Vatican Radio Feb. 11, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald said he hoped the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which is running Egypt, would follow the direction of constitutional reform and “will also respond to the other demands of the population with regard to social justice and with regard to political liberties as well.”Archbishop Fitzgerald, the Vatican nuncio in Cairo, said that even before President Hosni Mubarak resigned Feb. 11, the Egyptian leader had given his vice president the task of studying various articles of the constitution with a view of amending them in response to protesters’ demands for greater democracy.

Mubarak’s promises of reform were not enough for protesters, and he was forced to hand over power to the military and step down.

As Mubarak left the capital and the military took over, the nuncio told Vatican Radio, “We are still in an uncertain position, but the people are very happy — they are rejoicing — and we hope that this euphoria will produce a moment of solidarity for the people in this country.” (more…)

Read Full Post »

By Nancy Frazier O’Brien Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Catholic bishops around the country are reminding state legislatures and their fellow citizens that the nation’s budgetary problems are not over and must not be resolved on the backs of the poor. (more…)

Read Full Post »

By Marylynn G. Hewitt Catholic News Service

DETROIT (CNS) — Avid outdoorsman and hunter Father Joe Classen, associate pastor at Holy Spirit Parish in Maryland Heights, Mo., has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

“I rarely ever conceal and carry, but sometimes if I’m in a very bad area, I do take protection,” he said. “I tell people all life is sacred, including mine.” (more…)

Read Full Post »