Even though the election is just 55 days away, on this particular Tuesday both presidential campaigns are stepping aside from politics. Out of homage to the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney plan to take down their negative ads. Along with this simple gesture, both campaigns are […]

  The Lebanese Army said it freed at dawn Tuesday four Syrians kidnapped by al-Meqdad clan during a raid in Beirut’s southern suburbs that allegedly left a Turkish abductee injured. Moreover, LBCI reported that the Turkish abductee was freed Tuesday evening and handed over to the Lebanese authorities at the General Directorate of General Security in […]

  Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai arrived in the Shouf town of Mukhtara on Sunday where he met with Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt and discussed the Brih reconciliation between the Christians and Druze. “My visit [to Shouf] aims to resume the path of reconciliation between the residents of this area, particularly between the […]

  Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday called for dialogue and reconciliation in the Middle East as he prepared to visit war-torn Syria’s neighbor Lebanon. "My apostolic trip to Lebanon, and by extension to the whole of the Middle East, is taking place under the sign of peace," the pope said after delivering the Angelus blessing from […]

In authentically exercising the privilege to vote is required careful and reasoned moral discernment, which must always be guided by the light of faith and governed by a properly formed conscience. In this process of discernment, we must always remain faithful to the teaching of the Church on the full truth of the human person, which leads us to oppose intrinsic evils with maximum determination.

GLADE PARK, CO (Catholic Online) — There was never a time in the U.S. when the privilege of voting was to be taken lightly. Through the democratic process of electing political leaders, the citizens of our nation take an active role in shaping not only America’s future, but even its character. That is, the citizenry by its vote has a say in what America is about, what it means to live within her borders, and what our nation stands for as a people. The choices we make this November in the voting booth will in some way form America, and, additionally, they may even, perhaps to a very large degree, form our children in the future.
To say that voting choices will form our children, is not to refer only to economic, public debt, or tax burden concerns. As important as these are, they pale in comparison to the manner in which our children may be morally formed, either in a positive or negative way, as a direct consequence of our vote. The fact is, society acts as a moral teacher. What is legal is often deemed moral, whether it is or not. Accepted practices become the norm. The virtues and vices of a society imprint themselves upon the people who live within it. Whether a particular civil law is in sync with what is right and good or not, whether cultural norms are in accordance with the divine law and the natural law or not, is often inadequately considered by individuals until they have already fallen under their influence. The obvious example of such a tragic situation is legalized abortion.

The political opponents for the offices of President and Vice President in the election of 2012 stand in diametric opposition on crucial moral issues — namely intrinsic evils. While it is true that both the Democrat and Republican candidates speak in some form or other of providing a positive socio-economic influence on the nation, their personal moral philosophies concerning human life and the dignity and truth about the human person could hardly be more radically divided.

(Catholic Online) – There has been a lot of brouhaha surrounding the 2012 Democratic Party platform and the removal of any reference to God from it.  Following the politically-embarrassing revelation in the media, and the clear hay the Republicans were making from it, the Democrat leadership engaged in damage control.

The effort was, like most democratic things, a little messy.  After Ted Strickland (OH) moved to change the platform language, there came the embarrassing vote on the floor, and the forced and plainly heavy-handed tactics of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa who was chairing the convention. The vote to change the platform was thrice put to a voice vote, and three times to any objective observer there was a more-or-less even call of "Ayes" and "Nos."   A two thirds majority of "Ayes" was required for the platform to be amended, and–when it was apparent that it was not forthcoming–Villaraigosa exclaimed that, in the "opinion of the chair," two thirds had voted "Aye," and the motion carried. 

Whether Villaraigosa’s defective hearing was the result of deafness or was result-driven, only he knows; but were I a betting man, I would say it was plainly the latter.  There were audible boos, cat-calls, and groans from the crowd.  Whether these were because of the amendment itself or the way the amendment was undemocratically foisted upon the Democratic convention, it is hard to tell.  Whether the complaints were more of Jerusalem being declared the capital of Israel or human potential being declared "God-given," it is hard also to tell.  Probably, what we witnessed was a combination of all these things. But as one might expect, the Republicans interpreted the booing as evidence of Democratic apostasy so they could capitalize on it.  If this be apostasy, I imagine they are thinking, make the most of it. 

  Prime Minister Najib Mikati Friday announced that next Saturday, Sept. 15, will be an official holiday in honor of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Lebanon. In a statement, Mikati said all public administration branches, public institutions, municipalities, schools and private and public universities will close Saturday. The pope arrives next Friday, and Mikati’s statement said […]

  Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi is scheduled to visit the northern city of Tripoli on the first week of November, Tripoli Mufti Sheikh Malek al-Shaar said. Al-Shaar said that he held talks with al-Rahi in Diman on Wednesday. The patriarch postponed a visit to Tripoli last February over bloody clashes between two rival neighborhoods. The majority Sunni neighborhood […]

Kirkuk, Iraq, Sep 7, 2012 / 04:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Iraqi Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk has asked the Catholic patriarchs and bishops of the Middle East to speak with Pope Benedict XVI about their fears that the survival of Christianity in the region is at risk.

“The patriarchs and the bishops should go beyond the formalities to speak directly and openly with him about their fears and concerns. We should make clear our worries and the challenges ahead,” the archbishop told Aid to the Church in Need on Sept. 4.

Christian leaders will meet with the Pope in Lebanon during his Sept. 14-16 visit.

“The rise of political Islam is a matter of worry,” he said. “We Christians are a minority and there is no prospect of us gaining equal citizenship in the concrete reality of day-to-day life and there is no vision of a better future.”

“Everyone is speaking of democracy and freedom but the reality on the ground is different,” he explained.

The archbishop said “sectarianism” is rising and the majority population is not caring for minority groups.

There are “real fears” that more Christians will leave, he reported. The Christian exodus shows no signs of stopping in Iraq, where more than half of the Christian population has left. The trend of Christians leaving their homes has spread to other countries in the Middle East like Syria.

The archbishop recounted the violence against Christians in Iraq, which peaked after the U.S. overthrow of President Saddam Hussein’s government in 2003. Dozens of churches have been bombed in the country, while Christians have been targeted for kidnapping and murder.

He said it is difficult for him to encourage the faithful in his diocese to stay. There are “few” families left.

“I am doing my best to keep them, defend them and encourage them. That has limited the problem but it is sad to see them leaving for good,” he wrote. “As a pastor, I feel bad.”