VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Catholics in the United States are deeply divided over issues as disparate as LGBTQ inclusion, clerical sexual abuse and celebrating the liturgy, according to a summary of consultations carried out in dioceses across the country in recent months as part of Pope Francis’ Synod on Synodality. “Participants felt this division as a profound sense of pain and anxiety,” the U.S. bishops wrote in a summary released Monday (Sept. 19) to the public after being sent to the Vatican last month. In 2021, Francis launched a global discussion, requiring parish churches and a host of other religious organizations to gather their congregations to talk about how they view the hierarchy and issues facing the church. The discussion would inform a summit of bishops at the Vatican scheduled for October 2023 on the topic “For a Synodal Church: Participation, Communion and Mission.”

Bishops’ conferences were tasked with collecting comments made at the parish level and sending them to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who produced a report for the Vatican. To collect the information from the over 66.8 million Catholics living in the United States, bishops divided the country into 15 administrative regions, including one representing the Eastern Churches. Contributions by Catholic organizations and individuals were grouped into a 16th region. A total of 290 documents were sent to the U.S. bishops to summarize. In a section of the document titled “Enduring wounds,” the bishops wrote that Catholics have brought divisions born in the political arena, including views on the Eucharist and the celebration of Mass, into the pews. A controversy about whether Catholic pro-choice politicians, including President Joe Biden, should be allowed to receive Communion at Mass has fractured Catholic communities in recent years and led U.S. Bishops to launch a $28 million three-year process to “restore” and “revive” the Eucharist.

Francis’ decision last year to strongly restrict the celebration of Mass in the Old Latin Rite, which the pontiff believed had become a rallying cause for conservative dissent, has led some Catholics to lament “the level of animosity” and “feeling judged” in the church, the USCCB report said. The polarization has also affected the church hierarchy, with the divisions among bishops — and sometimes between bishops and the pope — becoming “a source of grave scandal,” the summary stated. “This perceived lack of unity within the hierarchy seems to, in turn, justify division at the local level,” the document said. Connected to the topic of polarization was “marginalization.” The report emphasized calls by many Catholics for the church to become a more welcoming and open space. Two groups most marginalized, it suggested, were those who lack social or economic power and those whose lifestyle is condemned by church teaching.

By Patrick Huston — bollyinside.com — On September 22, the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL) stated that all banks in the nation will close permanently due to aggressive depositor withdrawals. The government limited access to the depository accounts and shut down all banks on September 16 for a week due to the economic crisis. Young people in Lebanon are using cryptocurrencies to get away from the financial turmoil, which has increased usage since 2021. Changpeng Zhao, the CEO of Binance, also tweeted the news. In response to Zhao’s tweet, hundreds of people expressed their support for the ownership and decentralisation of cryptocurrencies, which keep them from going out of business like the banks in Lebanon. Reuters reports that by September 2021, the Lebanese pound, which was pegged at roughly $1,500 at the time, had dropped to $15,000 on the black market. Due to this, banks had to halt withdrawals because depositors continued to take money out despite large losses.

financial emergency

Since August 2019, the nation has been experiencing a financial crisis, which got worse in 2020 with the explosion in Beirut and the epidemic. In 2020, the IMF predicted that Lebanon would suffer a loss of about $83 million and put up a recovery strategy for the country.

Bitcoin in Lebanon

by nna-leb.gov.lb — The American University of Beirut that JV MAN Enterprise and Atlas Pantou has been selected to construct the American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo campus in Pafos, Cyprus. JV MAN Enterprise and Atlas Pantou, which was selected after a rigorous tender process, will begin work immediately. “This is an important milestone in the establishment of our new twin campus in Pafos, Cyprus, where we will be welcoming students in fall 2023,” said American University of Beirut President Fadlo Khuri.

The American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo, a twin campus of the American University of Beirut in Beirut, Lebanon, is being established through an agreement with the Municipality of Pafos, Cyprus, which was signed on April 8, 2022. The signing ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades; US Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield; Ambassador, American University of Beirut Trustee, and Chairman of the American University of Beirut International Advisory Council Frank G. Wisner; Mayor of the Municipality of Pafos Phedonas Phedonos; American University of Beirut President Fadlo Khuri; in addition to ambassadors and officials as well as other members of the American University of Beirut Board of Trustees. “The new university, capitalizing on the long and successful experience of the mother American University of Beirut to manage issues of coexistence and cooperation of groups with different religions and cultural backgrounds, is in a position to convincingly convey the messages of brotherhood, solidarity, mutual respect, and equality, which are the foundations for any honest compromise and for the establishment and development of a democratic and prosperous society,” stated the Mayor of Pafos Phedonas Phedonos.

by state.gov — Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met yesterday with Lebanese Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in New York City. The Secretary emphasized the need to hold a timely presidential election in Lebanon and urged that the Prime Minister and other leaders implement key reforms needed to effect meaningful change, promote good governance, […]

@AzziSejean

الجميلُ أن تجدَ الأزماتُ حلولًا. السيِّئُ ألّا تجدَ الأزماتُ حلولًا. الأسوأ أن تَجدَ الأزماتُ حلولًا ولا تُطَــبّقُ. والكارثةُ أن تُغتالَ عَمدًا جميعُ الحلولِ ما إِن تلوحُ في الأفْقِ. لبنان اجتاز الحالاتِ الثلاثَ الأولى واستقرَّ للأسفِ في الحالةِ الرابعةِ. أصبح اللبنانيّون مُنتِجي أزَماتٍ وقنّاصِي حلول. تَعايشَ اللبنانيّون مع الأزَماتِ ووَجدوا لها الحلولَ أو التسوياتِ حين كانت فئاتٌ لبنانيّةٌ تسعى إلى تحسينِ مواقعِها في الدولة. أما حين قرّرت فئاتٌ لبنانيّةٌ أخرى تغييرَ موقِعِ لبنان وهُويّتِه واستملاكَه وبناءَه على صورةِ الأنظمةِ الدينيّةِ والاستبداديّة، أصبَحنا نَتعايش مع الأزَماتِ من دونِ الحلول. إنَّ المشاريعَ الدينيّةَ الأجنبيّةَ التي تَحمِلُها قِوى سياسيّةٌ لبنانيّةٌ، لا تتآلفُ مع الدستورِ اللبنانيِّ نصًّا وروحًا، ولا مع الميثاقِ الوطنيِّ فلسفةً وعُرفًا، لأنَّ مشاريعَها تَستدعي فِقهًا وفتاوى وتكاليفَ شرعيّةً لا دساتيرَ ومواثيق.

الإشكاليّةُ التي نُعاني منها في لبنان هي استحالةُ تطبيقِ حلٍّ سِلميٍّ أو حلٍّ عسكريّ كأنَّما لا بدّ من الجُرعتَين. ما عاد البَحثُ عن حلِّ أزْمةِ لبنان، بل عن حلِّ أزمةِ لبنان مع دولةِ حزبِ الله المنتشِرةِ على أراضيه وفي مجتمعِه ومؤسّساتِه وفي مجلسَي النواب والوزراء وتَمتلِكُ جيشًا بموازاةِ الجيشِ اللبناني. استحالةُ الحلِّ السياسيِّ ناتجةٌ عن قرارِ حزبِ الله بالإبقاءِ على جيشِه أيًّا يَكن الحلُّ السياسيّ، ما يؤدي إلى نشوءِ شعبَين: أحدُهما مسلَّحٌ مع مشروعٍ توسعيٍّ، والآخَرُ بدونِ سلاحٍ في كَنفِ الدولةِ اللبنانيّة. واستحالةُ الحلِّ العسكريِّ ناجمةٌ عن تحوّلِ أيِّ مواجَهةٍ عسكريّةٍ إلى حربٍ أهليّةٍ تُقسِّمُ البلدَ أو تُفتِّتهُ. ويُخشى أن تَقتصِرَ الحربُ على حزبِ الله والقِوى المسيحيّةِ السياديّة، فيما يَكتفي الآخَرون بِعدِّ الضحايا وإسداءِ النصائح. في الحالتين يبقى سؤالان أساسيّان: ما هو دورُ الجيشِ اللبنانيِّ تجاه استحالةِ الحلِّ السياسيِّ؟ وما هو دورُه في وقفِ المواجهةِ العسكرية؟

بين الأسباب التي تُعقِّدُ حلَّ القضيّةِ اللبنانيّةِ سَببان: 1) عدمُ ثقةِ الأطرافِ اللبنانيّة بمعادلةِ الحلِّ السياسيِّ ونتائِجه، إذ هناك أطرافٌ تَميل إلى حلٍّ يكون فيه غالِبٌ ومغلوبٌ بحكمِ وجودِ عنصرِ السلاحِ على طاولةِ المفاوضات السلمية. 2) اتّجاهُ أطرافٍ لبنانيّةٍ إلى ربطِ الحلِّ الداخليِّ بالتطوّراتِ الإقليميّةِ والدُولية، إذ يَظنُّ كلُّ طرفٍ لبنانيٍّ أنَّ “حليفَه” الخارجيَّ سيربَحُ إقليميًّا ودُوليًّا، وبالتالي سيربَحُ هو معه في لبنان. هكذا حَصَل سنواتِ 1920 و1943 و1982 و1989، إلخ… لكنَّ الثمارَ الإيجابيّةَ الـمُوَقّتةَ التي أعْطتها هذه الرهاناتُ سُرعان ما يَبِسَت وكانت وِزْرًا على أصحابِـها وأخصامِها معًا.

by cnn.com — Lebanon’s banks are to remain closed indefinitely due to ongoing “risks” to employees and customers, the Association of Lebanese banks announced Wednesday. The shutdowns follow a series of holdups across the country over the past month, with at least five separate banks held up by depositors last Friday alone in attempt to […]

by AFP — Ice cream is back on the shelves in the northern Lebanese village of Toula after two years of power cuts. Solar power has made its return possible. Lebanon’s economy collapsed in 2019 after decades of corruption and mismanagement, leaving the state unable to provide electricity for more than an hour or two per day. Last winter, residents of Toula barely had three hours of daily generator-driven electricity. A large area of solar panels surrounded by vegetation.

Solar power now helps keep the lights on for 17 hours, an engineer working on the alternative energy project said. Mini-market owner Jacqueline Younes said she was waiting for the first order of ice cream to arrive. “For two years the kids have been asking for ice cream, now it’s finally time,” she said. While many Lebanese rely on costly generators for electricity, a growing number of homes, companies and state institutions are turning to solar. They are not doing it for environmental reasons but because it is their only option.

by AP — A U.S. court has ordered the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to pay millions of dollars in damages to a group of Americans who sued saying they were wounded by the group’s rockets during a war with Israel in 2006. The case was brought under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act and alleged that Hezbollah […]

By Najia Houssari — arabnews.com — BEIRUT: Lebanese banks began a three-day closure on Monday following a decision by the Association of Banks aimed at preventing break-ins and holdups by depositors. It comes after a series of high-profile incidents in bank branches, with depositors attempting to withdraw US dollar savings that have been frozen for three years. Caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi described the bank break-ins in Beirut and other regions as “organized.”

The Association of Banks demanded that “necessary measures be taken” in order to ensure the safety of employees and customers, and to preserve depositors’ rights. Some bank central departments remained administratively functional on Monday, while the central bank’s Sayrafa platform was unaffected by the strike. The black market US dollar exchange rate failed to rise as significantly as expected as a result of the political and security turmoil in the country, with the rate standing at 38,350 Lebanese pounds. When branches reopen, a number of banks are planning strict self-protection measures by subjecting customers to inspections and only receiving those who have scheduled appointments.

President of the Lebanese Depositors Association Hassan Moghnieh warned that “the strike will not resolve the ongoing crisis. When work resumes next Thursday, banks might witness a new wave of holdups, which means that the solution resides elsewhere.” On Monday morning, a number of activists tried to break into the Justice Palace in Beirut in protest against the detention of activists who took part in bank holdups. The army prevented the families and activists from entering the palace. Screams were heard as protesters demanded the release of Mohammed Rustom and Abdul Rahman Zakaria, who were detained for breaking into Blom Bank to support depositor Sali Hafiz, who had earlier used a plastic gun to demand her deposit to treat her sick sister.

by Malek el Khazen:  Many Lebanese companies that receive all fresh dollars and accept only fresh dollars are still paying their employees in Lebanese pounds. It’s a shame. Occasionally, they pay half of the salary in Fresh Dollars and the other half in Liras or “lollars”. Why is that? We can easily blame our government for failures and corruption. The fact that these employees are still paid in “liras” is a complete travesty. Stop pointing the fingers at the government, you are no better if you are getting paid in fresh dollars and are not paying your employees in fresh dollars. if we don’t start at the micro level and reject taking advantage of the new financial situation! You can begin by yourself. 

by watchdogsgazette.com  — Jad El Dilati – The only thing that an employer needs to do in modern-day Lebanon to attract job seekers is to write “paid in fresh dollars” in the job’s description, no matter how low the amount of dollars is. At a time when the country faces one of the world’s worst financial crises since the 19th century according to the World Bank when 50% of the country’s population is living below the poverty line, and with the unemployment rate on a sharp rise, finding a job that pays in fresh dollars, cash dollars, in Lebanon feels like winning the lottery. This is an alarming illusion. To understand why getting paid in fresh dollars today feels like a privilege, one has to take a step back and look at the general image existing in Lebanon. The type of salary that you earn comes down to what sector you work in. People working in the public sector, including teachers in public schools, security personnel, army members, and any job funded by the state, get paid in Lebanese liras (LBP).

Intra-sector differences arise among the private sector where most of the people working in private companies still get paid in Lebanese liras especially if the company is based in Lebanon. However, a good portion of private companies are paying their employees either a full salary or part of a full salary in fresh USD. Those companies are mainly tech companies who have foreign customers, companies that provide services to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and mostly any company that exports because those have become exceedingly scarce. Some companies that are currently paying their employees in USD include KPMG and PWC, both foreign. Almost all self-employed individuals also earn wages in LBP. Most Lebanese citizens work in the first two mentioned sectors or are self-employed, and thus earn their salaries in LBP. 95% of them do. This means that, if you are a person residing in Lebanon, earning fresh US dollars every month, at a time where one US dollar is worth 30,000 LBP, you are better off than 95% of the population. Amidst the continuous devaluation of the local currency, and the increasing difficulty in finding actual US dollar bills, earning fresh dollars seems like a prerogative. This feeling of privilege paved the path towards the savage exploitation of the Lebanese working class that is being witnessed today.

“Must-haves: 2 years of experience in business, 2 years of experience in marketing, experience in management, 4 years of business development experience. Expected salary: 200 fresh USD/ month!” An exclamation point is always added to make the low salaries look appealing. This was an ad for a telesales and marketing managerial full-time position for a company in Beirut that I saw on LinkedIn after less than a minute of scrolling. To put into perspective how substandard this salary is, it is necessary to compare it with the salary associated with the same job in other countries on one hand, and with the Lebanese minimum wage on the other hand while taking into account Lebanon’s current miserable conditions. Aِ marketing manager in the United States with this many years of experience would earn $126,560 a year which means they would be earning a monthly salary of $10,546. Thus, a marketing manager working in the United States would be earning 52 times the amount that an identical manager would be earning here. Certainly, one cannot compare the size of the Lebanese and the American economies. However, the private company offering the position in Beirut is run by a Lebanese expat whose revenue is entirely in “fresh dollars” because the company’s finances are all managed abroad. This implies that this employer is familiar with the market of such a job, is able to raise the wages to meet even a quarter of what should be earned yet chooses not to since they are well aware of the desperate need for fresh USD today.