LoS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) – Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard has been previously attacked for backing the Church’s teachings on homosexuality and expressing his concern for those who live the homosexual lifestyle. Four women, representing the pro-abortion and homosexual group FEMEN, took to the stage at ULB University in Brussels where the archbishop was participating in a debate on blasphemy laws. The women disrobed to reveal black-painted slogans on their bare chests and backs, such as "my body my rules. "Waving signs that read "stop homophobia," the women doused the archbishop with water from bottles formed in the image of the Virgin Mary.

In the minutes before the women could be forced off stage, Archbishop Leonard sat drenched with water, eyes closed in prayer. The archbishop then kissed the image of the Virgin Mary on one of the water bottles that was used in the attack.  "He was very calm and maintained a position of prayer. I have to believe he was praying for us," one of the attackers said to reporters.  The attack was spurred by an interview three weeks ago where Archbishop Leonard said that when speaking to Christians who are inclined to homosexuality he suggests celibacy, as is required for all single persons.

BEIRUT: Maronite Cardinal Beshara Rai called Saturday for the release of two Syrian bishops who were abducted earlier this week.  “I urge those concerned to release kidnapped bishops Boulos Yaziji and Yuhanna Ibrahim,” Rai said during a speech he made at a church in Argentine leg of his Latin American tour. Ibrahim, the Syriac Orthodox […]

President Michel Suleiman ordered on Monday stronger measures to preserve security and stability in northern Lebanon a day after three men were killed in clashes over a clampdown on illegal construction. “Suleiman followed up the security situation in the country in general and specifically the North and met at Baabda palace with caretaker Defense Minister […]

CAIRO, EGYPT (Catholic Online) – The images are compelling. They clearly show Egyptian police officers participating in the attack on the Coptic cathedral in Cairo. This is thuggish behavior and unbecoming of a civilized police force.  The images show Egyptian police officers standing by as protesters fire guns, wield machetes, and throw stones at Christians. The Muslims were attacking a Coptic funeral who were mourning the death of another who was killed in a previous clash with Muslims.  Another image shows officers standing by as a protester burns a Holy Bible. What would happen if the roles were reversed?

The government’s response has been embarrassingly lukewarm at best. Four Copts were arrested. Christians in Egypt are facing increasingly hostile discrimination and the government is not only failing in its obligation to protect them, it seems to be helping militant Muslims attack them.
Unfortunately, this is typical behavior for militant Muslims and those than enable them. These Muslims are not content with diversity and instead insist on destroying any institution that is not their own. Ever since a new, supposedly democratic government was formed in Egypt, the Muslims have taken advantage of every opportunity to discriminate against and suppress Coptic Christians.  The participation of the police in the religious violence does much to implicate the government in crimes against Christians. It is also quite revealing that four Christian mourners were arrested while the Muslim attackers who initiated the violence were aided by police.

  Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri said Saturday the Lebanese authorities have banned his award-winning film "The Attack" from cinemas in his home country because it was partly shot in Tel Aviv using Israeli actors.  "I regret to inform you that the Interior Minister of Lebanon, Minister [Marwan] Charbel, has decided to punish us and the […]

  BEIRUT: Maronite Cardinal Beshara Rai called Saturday for the release of two Syrian bishops who were abducted earlier this week. “I urge those concerned to release kidnapped bishops Boulos Yaziji and Yuhanna Ibrahim,” Rai said during a speech he made at a church in Argentine leg of his Latin American tour.   Ibrahim, the Syriac […]

  An Israeli fighter plane shot down a drone from Lebanon over the Mediterranean sea on Thursday as it was approaching the Israeli coast, the military said. Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, which sent a drone deep into Israel in October, said it was not behind the latest incident. Israel’s military held back from accusing the group, […]

  Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel signed the civil marriage certificate of Kholoud Succariyeh and Nidal Darwish, the state-run National News Agency reported on Thursday. "By this, Succariyeh and Darwish’s union becomes the first civil marriage registered in the records of the Directorate General for Personal Affairs in Lebanon,” the NNA noted.   Charbel, however, pointed […]