The news that matter in Europe
The news that matter in Europe
‘We have been providing free services with the aim of keeping humanitarian spirit alive,’ they say
Pune district has been the worst-hit in not only the State but also the country during the first and second waves of COVID-19. The district currently has …
(RNS) — Violence between Gaza and Israel intensified this week to levels not seen for years, with Hamas shooting hundreds of rockets toward the Tel Aviv metropolitan area and Israel retaliating with heavy strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
The buildup to the current conflagration — some are already calling it a new “intifada” or “uprising” — began several weeks ago in a Jerusalem neighborhood near the Old City, close to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites for more than 1,200 years.
While Muslims pray at Al-Aqsa year-round, the mosque attracts even more worshippers during Ramadan. Wednesday (May 12) marked the end of Ramadan and the start of Eid al-Fitr, a joyous time for millions of Muslims concluding a monthlong fast.
There’s no doubt that the most extreme Jewish nationalists would like Israel to recapture the Al-Aqsa Mosque because they say it sits on top of the ruins of the ancient Jewish Temple, the only remainder of which is the Western Wall.
But except for the setting of the conflict, faith is only tangentially related to the violence. Here’s a quick explainer on the conflict of the past few days, and what, if any, role religion plays.
RELATED: Don’t shoot at Jerusalem’s Palestinians. Talk to them.
The Israeli government said the police responded after the Palestinians started throwing stones at them. Palestinians say the fighting really began when police entered the mosque compound on Monday and started firing rubber-tipped bullets and stun grenades. More than 330 Palestinians were wounded. Israel said 21 of its officers were, too.
Palestinians clash with Israeli security forces May 10, 2021, at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israeli police clashed with Palestinian protesters at the holy site in the latest in a series of confrontations that is pushing the contested city to the brink of eruption. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
But the underlying tensions may have more to do with a set of clashes in the larger east Jerusalem area, which was captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and is home to about 350,000 Palestinians.
For weeks prior to the mosque violence, Palestinians had been protesting the threatened eviction of Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of east Jerusalem. At night they would clash with police and far-right Jewish settlers.
Those clashes are in turn part of a long legal battle over who owns the property. Some Palestinians were relocated to Sheikh Jarrah by the Jordanian government in the 1950s after fleeing their homes during Israel’s War of Independence in 1948.
On Monday, the Israeli Supreme Court was set to decide whether to uphold the eviction of six families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in favor of Jewish settlers. The court has since postponed the ruling.
On a large scale, yes. In Sheikh Jarrah, in particular, the dispute originates in the 19th century, when Jews living abroad began returning to what is now Israel and buying properties from Palestinians who lived there. The Jordanians took over the land between 1948 and 1967. Israelis are now claiming it’s theirs again.
The dispute in Sheikh Jarrah takes on political overtones because the neighborhood is part of east Jerusalem, which Palestinians want name as the capital of a future Palestinian state encompassing the West Bank and Gaza. Many Israelis, regardless of their views about a Palestinian state, believe Jerusalem must remain “a Jewish capital for the Jewish people,” and under Israeli control.
The clashes between Israel and Palestinians in Jerusalem have united Palestinians far and wide, as have the larger disputes over their displacement and disenfranchisement by Israel. Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, located about 60 miles south of Jerusalem, sees itself as a defender of Palestinians.
Hamas is at root an Islamic organization born from members of the Muslim Brotherhood, and so it also cares deeply about the Al-Asqa Mosque, which Muslims call the Noble Sanctuary.
On Wednesday, Israel assassinated several Hamas commanders in retaliation for the barrage of rockets on Tel Aviv, Ashkelon and Israel’s main international airport in the city of Lod.
Rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip toward Israel on May 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
At heart, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a dispute over land. But religion is often the proxy for those disputes, pitting two different ethnicities and religions. Little wonder those tensions tend to flare around religious holidays, both Jewish and Muslim.
But Hamas’ main goal is not war with Judaism, but rather with Israel, which is occupying land it believes is inherently Palestinian.
As Hamas has become more emboldened over the years, so too, have Jewish nationalists. On Monday, which was Jerusalem Day, a national holiday celebrating the unification of Jerusalem, Jewish nationalists marched through the Old City of Jerusalem, including the Muslim Quarter, in a display that provoked and angered many Palestinians. Last month, nationalist Jews marched through Jerusalem chanting, “Death to Arabs.”
As often happens, the exclusive claims to parts of the holy city often turn deadly.
RELATED: Violence at Al-Aqsa Mosque leads to rocket fire, air strikes between Hamas and Israel
BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — The first two columns of the main edifice of the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l Bahá have been raised. Each now stands 11 meters above the central plaza floor.
Eight columns will eventually be built, forming part of the walls of the main edifice and supporting the trellis that will span the central plaza.
To the west of the main edifice, the first three segments of the folding walls that will surround the central plaza have been built. A total of ten identical segments are being constructed one by one.
The gallery of images below shows the progress of work on the columns and plaza walls along with some of the other developments on the site.
The first completed column is seen in the right image. To the left is work on the second column, which was completed last week.
The steel formwork, seen in yellow, is assembled in place. Concrete is then poured and is allowed to set. The formwork is finally taken apart and reused for the next segment.
The folding walls will later be clad with stone.
The four portal walls enclosing the north and south plazas have been completed, as seen in this view from the south.
Planters of various shapes are being built for the gardens that will beautify the north plaza.
The current progress on the north plaza is seen on the right next to the design rendering on the left.
… time, participation in actual, organized religion has plummeted.
“This was probably … as participation in actual, organized religion has plummeted. Indeed, Mandy says … what some sociologists call “civil religion” – a shared, nonsectarian faith centered …
Working with the Mothers for Mothers Foundation, Scientology Volunteer Ministers donations help support 100 needy families.
For Mother’s Day, Volunteer Ministers from the Church of Scientology Budapest wanted to do something special for mothers who are struggling to make ends meet.
They teamed up with Anyák az Anyákért Alapítvány, the Mothers to Mothers Foundation—a Budapest-based charity that helps needy single mothers and families of small children. The pandemic has made life harder for those already living near or below the poverty line, and the Volunteer Ministers wanted to surprise moms who would otherwise go without a Mother’s Day gift.
They created and brought 100 Mother’s Day gift packages to the Mothers to Mothers Foundation to present to mothers and mothers-to-be. They also delivered hygiene supplies and bags of potatoes and fresh onions to help families get through these challenging times.
And although the country is beginning to reopen after a third wave of COVID-19, the Volunteer Ministers’ prevention motto still holds true: “An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure.” So they included hygiene supplies and educational booklets to be delivered to each family.
Next, they loaded their bright yellow van with 60 bags of long-lasting food and headed for the town of Ózd in Northern Hungary. There, the Volunteer Ministers are working with leaders of the Roma community to uplift the area. They also brought masks and rubber gloves and took part in the first of a series of monthly neighborhood cleanups.
Since the pandemic began, Hungarian Volunteer Ministers, in coordination with other nonprofits and community groups, have been dedicated to helping the country get through the pandemic safe and well.
Through their “Stay Well” campaign they have distributed thousands of educational booklets to local businesses and neighbors, health workers, police, ambulance drivers, nonprofit organizations and needy families.
The Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Hungary headquarters is the Church of Scientology Budapest, whose new home was dedicated in 2016 by Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion.
The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.
A Volunteer Minister’s mandate is to be “a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others.” Their creed: “A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well.”
For more information, visit the new interactive timeline on the Scientology website, 20/21: A Look Back & A Look Ahead.
Kirchen-EU-Dialog: Ökumenische Delegation trifft sich mit portugiesischer EU-Präsidentschaft
Eine ökumenische Delegation, bestehend aus S. Em. Kard. Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, Vorsitzender der Kommission der Bischofskonferenzen der Europäischen Union (COMECE), und Pfr. Christian Krieger, Vorsitzender der Konferenz Europäischer Kirchen (KEK), traf am Mittwoch, 12. Mai 2021, in Lissabon mit dem portugiesischen Staats- und Außenminister Augusto Santos Silva zusammen, um sich über die Prioritäten der portugiesischen EU-Ratspräsidentschaft auszutauschen.
Die ökumenische Delegation beglückwünschte die Ratspräsidentschaft zum Sozialgipfel in Porto, der letzte Woche stattgefunden hat und an dem sowohl die Sozialpartner als auch die Zivilgesellschaft beteiligt waren. COMECE und KEK würdigten das Engagement des Ratsvorsitzes für die Entwicklung des EU-Sozialmodells. Insbesondere begrüßten sie die soziale Verpflichtung von Porto, die als Leitfaden für die Sozialpolitik der EU in der nächsten Zeit dienen soll.
Während des Treffens tauschten sich die Delegation und die Präsidentschaft über die Konferenz zur Zukunft Europas aus, die anlässlich des Europatages am Sonntag, den 9. Mai 2021, ins Leben gerufen wurde. COMECE und KEK äußerten die Hoffnung, dass sie alle europäischen Bürger, die Zivilgesellschaft sowie die Kirchen und Religionsgemeinschaften einbeziehen und das Vertrauen erneuern und das Engagement für die Europäische Union als eine wahre Wertegemeinschaft neu beleben wird.
“Die Stimme der Kirchen muss gehört werden. Da sie Millionen von Bürgern in allen EU-Mitgliedsstaaten vertreten und auf allen Ebenen der europäischen Gesellschaften präsent sind, haben COMECE und KEK einen echten Mehrwert für die Konferenz über die Zukunft Europas”, sagte KEK-Präsident Pfarrer Christian Krieger. “Unser Hauptaugenmerk liegt auf der Förderung unserer gemeinsamen europäischen Werte”, fügte er hinzu.
Ein Teil des Treffens war dem Austausch über die Aufarbeitung der COVID-19-Pandemie gewidmet. COMECE und KEK betonten die Notwendigkeit, die Schwächsten zu unterstützen, die Europäische Säule sozialer Rechte umzusetzen und eine faire und gerechte Wiederherstellung im Kontext eines grünen und digitalen Übergangs zu fördern, der niemanden zurücklässt.
Zu den Höhepunkten der Diskussion gehörte auch der Austausch über die EU-Migrations- und Asylpolitik, ein inklusiveres Europa, den Europäischen Green Deal und die Sorge um die Erde, unser gemeinsames Haus, die EU-Afrika-Partnerschaft und die Übergabe an die slowenische EU-Präsidentschaft im Juli 2021.
Das Treffen in Lissabon war auch eine Gelegenheit, der Präsidentschaft den gemeinsamen Beitrag der COMECE und der KEK zu übergeben, der Anfang Januar erschienen war und Überlegungen, Vorschläge und politische Empfehlungen zu den dringenden Prioritäten der portugiesischen EU-Ratspräsidentschaft enthält.
Die Delegation teilte auch Positionspapiere zu den Themen Rückführungspolitik, Rückübernahme und Zusammenarbeit mit Drittstaaten im Rahmen des vorgeschlagenen EU-Paktes zu Migration und Asyl. Die Dokumente wurden in einer Kooperation von neun europaweiten christlichen Organisationen herausgegeben, darunter die COMECE und die Kommission der Kirchen für Migranten in Europa (CCME), die von der KEK unterstützt wird.
In diesem Zusammenhang betonte S. Em. Kard. Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, Präsident der COMECE: “Europa hat die Verantwortung, Frieden und Wohlstand mit unseren Nachbarn zu teilen und Migranten willkommen zu heißen, zu schützen, zu fördern und zu integrieren, indem es eine Politik auf der Grundlage der Achtung der Menschenrechte und der Menschenwürde verfolgt».
Die Treffen mit den jeweiligen EU-Ratspräsidentschaften sind Teil einer langjährigen Tradition in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 17 des Vertrags über die Arbeitsweise der EU (AEUV), der einen offenen, transparenten und regelmäßigen Dialog zwischen der EU und den Kirchen vorsieht.
Im Einklang mit den üblichen Vorkehrungen gegen COVID nahm ein Teil der Delegation per Videokonferenz an dem Treffen teil.
Mitglieder der COMECE-CEC-Delegation:
– S.Em. Jean-Claude Kardinal Hollerich SJ, Präsident der COMECE;
– Pfr. Christian Krieger, Präsident der KEK;
– S.E. Msgr. Nuno Brás da Silva, Bischof von Funchal und Delegierter der Portugiesischen Bischofskonferenz bei der COMECE;
– Bischof Jorge Pina Cabral, Lusitanische Katholische Apostolische Evangelische Kirche;
– Pfr. Dr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, Generalsekretär der COMECE;
– Dr. Jørgen Skov Sørensen, Generalsekretär der KEK;
– Dr. José-Luis Bazán, Rechtsberater für Migration und Asyl und Religionsfreiheit, COMECE
– Frau Lena Kumlin, Leitende Beraterin für EU-Politik, KEK
Une délégation œcuménique composée de S.Em. le Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich s.j., Président de la Commission des Épiscopats de l’Union Européenne (COMECE), et du Révérend Christian Krieger, Président de la Conférence des Églises Européennes (CEC), a rencontré Augusto Santos Silva, Ministre d’État et des Affaires étrangères du Portugal, le mercredi 12 mai 2021 à Lisbonne, pour échanger sur les priorités de la Présidence portugaise du Conseil de l’Union européenne.
La délégation œcuménique a félicité la Présidence pour le Sommet social de Porto qui s’est tenu la semaine dernière avec la participation des partenaires sociaux et de la société civile. La COMECE et la CEC ont salué l’engagement de la Présidence à développer le modèle social européen. En particulier, elles ont salué l’engagement social de Porto publié dans le but de guider les politiques sociales de l’UE à l’avenir.
Au cours de la réunion, la délégation et la Présidence ont échangé sur la Conférence sur l’avenir de l’Europe, qui a été lancée à l’occasion de la journée de l’Europe, le dimanche 9 mai 2021. La COMECE et la CEC ont exprimé l’espoir qu’elle impliquera tous les citoyens européens, la société civile, ainsi que les Églises et les communautés religieuses, et qu’elle renouvellera la confiance et revigorera l’engagement envers l’Union européenne en tant que véritable communauté de valeurs.
« La voix des Églises doit être entendue. Représentant des millions de citoyens dans tous les États membres de l’UE, et étant présentes à tous les niveaux des sociétés européennes, la COMECE et la CEC ont une réelle valeur ajoutée à apporter à la Conférence sur l’avenir de l’Europe », a déclaré le Président de la CEC, le Révérend Christian Krieger. « Notre objectif principal est de promouvoir nos valeurs européennes communes », a-t-il ajouté.
Une partie de la rencontre a été consacrée à des échanges sur la relance après la pandémie de COVID-19. La COMECE et la CEC ont souligné la nécessité de soutenir les plus vulnérables, de mettre en œuvre le socle européen des droits sociaux et de promouvoir une reprise équitable et juste dans le contexte d’une transition verte et numérique qui ne laisse personne de côté. Parmi les questions importantes abordées aux cours des échanges, les politiques de l’UE en matière de migration et d’asile, d’une Europe plus inclusive, du Green Deal européen et de la sauvegarde de notre maison commune, du partenariat UE-Afrique et la passation de pouvoir à la Présidence slovène de l’UE en juillet 2021 ont été abordés.
La rencontre de Lisbonne fut également l’occasion de remettre à la Présidence la contribution conjointe de la COMECE et de la CEC publiée au début du mois de janvier, présentant des réflexions, des propositions et des recommandations politiques, et traitant des priorités de la Présidence portugaise de l’UE.
La délégation a également partagé des énoncés de position sur les politiques de retour, de réadmission et de coopération avec les pays tiers dans le cadre du projet de Pacte européen sur la migration et l’asile. Ces documents ont été publiés par un groupe de neuf organisations chrétiennes européennes, dont la COMECE et la Commission des Églises auprès des Migrants en Europe (CEME), soutenue par la CEC.
S.Em. le Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich s.j., Président de la COMECE, a souligné à cet égard que « l’Europe a la responsabilité de partager la paix et la prospérité avec ses voisins, et d’accueillir, de protéger, de promouvoir et d’intégrer les migrants en développant des politiques basées sur le respect des Droits de l’Homme et de la dignité humaine ».
Les rencontres avec les Présidences respectives du Conseil de l’UE font partie d’une tradition de longue date, conformément à l’article 17 du Traité sur le Fonctionnement de l’UE (TFUE), qui prévoit un dialogue ouvert, transparent et régulier entre l’UE et les Églises.
Conformément aux précautions habituelles anti-COVID, une partie de la délégation a assisté à la réunion par vidéoconférence.
Les membres de la délégation de la COMECE et de la CEC :
Media:
For instance, the historical campaigns of “Age of Empires II” taught me much of what I know about great medieval figures, from Frederick Barbarossa to Saladin. And I could probably trace my knowledge of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Colossus of Rhodes and the other Wonders of the World back to all those hours I spent building my empire in “Civilization.”
These games familiarized me with the vast and varied cultures of the world, gave me a grasp of history’s most important moments and trends, and helped shed some light on the fascinating interconnections of militaristic, economic and cultural concerns within a society.
But there is one important aspect of human culture and civilization that these games, admittedly, did not get right. And that’s religion.
Don’t get me wrong: Religious elements play an important role in each of the titles I’ve mentioned. In “Age” for instance, monks are one of the most feared units in the game, capable of converting enemy units to their side. Likewise, in “Civ,” religious buildings like temples and cathedrals are some of the most important in the game, as they keep your citizens content (and productive!).
So, it’s not that religion is absent from these computer games. Instead, it’s fundamentally distorted.
Because while you can do things like build the Sistine Chapel in “Civilization” or research block printing, illumination and even faith at your “Age of Empires” monastery, the reasons you’d do these things are fundamentally non-religious; they have nothing actually to do with God. Instead, religion is repurposed as an aid to other ends: in the short term, keeping your economy humming along, countering your enemies and expanding your empire, and in the long run, outplaying your opponents to victory.
It’d be a lot to expect a computer game to get religion right. But in failing to do so, a different vision of reality, the human person and life’s purpose is being subtly communicated. Rather than the beating heartbeat of a civilization, these games present religion as merely a cultural appendage. It’s a useful tool, but contains no intrinsic truth or value in and of itself.
I think it’d certainly be worthwhile to consider how this presentation of the dynamic between religion and civilization falls short, by comparing it to alternative accounts, such as Christopher Dawson’s “Progress and Religion,” Josef Pieper’s “Leisure: The Basis of Culture,” and even Pope Benedict XVI’s reflections on the indelible Christian character of European civilization.
But in this column, I’d like to ask something quite simple and practical: To what extent do we practice “computer game religion” in our own lives?
Computer game religion, akin to moral therapeutic deism and the prosperity gospel, makes a big deal of religious practices and identity. But underneath it all is the same type of instrumentalized logic regarding religion we see in “Age of Empires” and “Civilization.”
A practitioner might make daily Mass or intercessory prayer a top priority, but not much differently than a “Civ” player might prioritize researching monotheism so he has access to important city improvements. Or, one might wear Catholic paraphernalia and be a staple of the parish social scene, but with a mindset similar to an “Age” gamer who chooses to be the Aztecs because the relics they capture generate gold at a faster rate.
In both cases, religion plays an important role, but only insofar as it helps me achieve “my” goals and win “my” game. Computer game religion reduces prayer to a self-help practice, the Church to a social organization, Christianity to a tribe in the culture wars and God to a grand giver-of-favors. I, not he, am the center of the story. My preferences and desires, not his will or laws, provide the ultimate and overarching framework for my life.
It strikes me that the Gospel readings we’ve heard so far in May provide quite a counter to computer game religion. Taken from John 15, we hear Christ tell his disciples to “ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.”
However, the logic is completely reversed from the self-centeredness and exploitation of computer game religion. The conditions Christ establishes for intercessory prayer simply don’t allow for him to be instrumentalized. Before petitioning the Father, Christ insists that one must remain in him — through his grace, we must adopt the posture of total dependence and humble obedience to the Father, of which the Son himself is the perfect embodiment.
In doing so, our desires will be fundamentally transformed. God will grant what we ask, not because he has been reduced to an in-game feature we exercise control over with the click of a mouse. Instead, the Father gives us whatever we ask of him to the extent that our desires and petitions become subordinate to his will, by remaining in Christ, the True Vine that connects us to the Vine Grower.
This kind of practice of our faith might not help us beat “Civ” on deity difficulty. But it is the only way to practice religion truly, and to achieve the ultimate victory: not the attainment of our meager and limited goals, which cease to exist when the game is over, but union with the loving God who has created and redeemed us, and is drawing us into life-giving intimacy, both now and forever.
Liedl lives and writes in the Twin Cities.
<p class="tags"><strong>Tags: </strong> <a href="https://thecatholicspirit.com/tag/computer-game-religion/" rel="tag">Computer game religion</a>, <a href="https://thecatholicspirit.com/tag/computer-games/" rel="tag">Computer games</a></p> <p class="cats"><strong>Category</strong>: <a href="https://thecatholicspirit.com/commentary/alreadynotyet/" rel="category tag">Already/Not Yet</a></p>
Finland’s Prosecutor General has charged Päivi Räsänen, a seventh-term Member of the Finnish Parliament and ex-chair of the Christian Democrats party, for allegedly committing crimes regarding her opinion on marriage and sexuality and she could face six years in prison.
The prosecutor determined that the statements disparage and discriminate against homosexuals, violate their equality rights and human dignity, and foment intolerance, defamation and hatred, the Helsinki Times reported on April 30.
The statements by Räsänen, a former Finland interior minister, thus breach the limits of freedom of speech and freedom of religion, according to a press release from the Office of the Finnish Prosecutor General.
One of the statements was published on the website of the Luther Foundation of Finland and the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland. The two others charges, in turn, are related to statements made by the lawmaker on social media and YLE Puhe.
Räsänen, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has been under investigation by police since June 2019 after questioning the leadership at the Finnish Lutheran church she attended, Christian Headlines reported.
At the time, the church had sponsored the LGBT event ‘Pride 2019’ by using an image with a Bible text.
The preliminary investigation into the cases focuses Räsänen as author of a 24-page booklet titled Male and Female He Created Them – Homosexual relationships challenge the Christian concept of humanity, which was published in 2004 – and Juaha Pohjola – dean of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland, as well as the booklet’s publisher, The Jerusalem Post reported.
QUESTIONED CHURCH’S LEADERSHIP
In response, Räsänen questioned the church’s leadership in a tweet, which later got her in trouble for committing hate speech.
She subsequently underwent several interviews by police regarding her views and waited more than a year for the Prosecutor General to determine whether the prosecution should continue.
ADF International, the Christian legal group representing Räsänen, stated that the politician faces two years in prison for each crime.
“I cannot accept that voicing my religious beliefs could mean imprisonment. I do not consider myself guilty of threatening, slandering or insulting anyone. My statements were all based on the Bible’s teachings on marriage and sexuality,” Räsänen said in a statement carried by ADF.
“I will defend my right to confess my faith, so that no one else would be deprived of their right to freedom of religion and speech.
“I hold on to the view that my expressions are legal and they should not be censored. I will not back down from my views. I will not be intimidated into hiding my faith. The more Christians keep silent on controversial themes, the narrower the space for freedom of speech gets. ”
Paul Coleman, the Executive Director of ADF International, said that “freedom of speech is one of the cornerstones of democracy.”
“The Finnish Prosecutor General’s decision to bring these charges against Dr. Räsänen creates a culture of fear and censorship,” he said.
“It is sobering that such cases are becoming all too common throughout Europe. If committed civil servants like Päivi Räsänen are criminally charged for voicing their deeply held beliefs, it creates a chilling effect for everyone’s right to speak freely.”
Räsänen is also a medical doctor and a grandmother and has been a member of Parliament since 1995.
She has become a prominent defender of traditional Christian views on marriage, euthanasia and abortion. Her views are considered more conservative than those in the ECLF leadership.
Räsänen has served as a Finnish Member of Parliament since 1995, was chair of the Christian Democrats from 2004-2015, and from 2011-2015 she was the Minister of the Interior, during which she held responsibility for church affairs in Finland.
HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam national team goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm has admitted to struggling so far at Cerezo Osaka but remains positive about his journey in the J1 League this season.
Lâm moved to Osaka from Thailand’s Muangthong United in January 2021 and has yet to make his debut.
“Everything was new to me,” Văn Lâm told NHK WORLD-JAPAN Vietnamese.
“This is the first time I’ve been to Japan. I have never travelled or had the opportunity to play in Japan before.
“Japan’s culture is far different from Việt Nam or Russia — the places I used to live. So obviously, it took me a long time to fit in,” said the 27-year-old.
According to Lâm, the biggest difficulty is the language barrier that makes it hard for him to get to know his new teammates.
“In Japan, no one understands me when I speak,” he said.
“In training, the communication is not too difficult, because my teammates can understand basic football vocabularies in English, so there is no problem. But it’s extremely difficult to talk with them off the pitch.
“In Japan, whenever I or my teammates want to talk and tell each other, an interpreter must accompany me at all times because no one really understands each other.
“However, as I don’t know much Japanese and my teammates don’t know much English either, they understand that I’m in Japan for the first time and have tried their best to help me.
“I have been studying Japanese since I was in Thailand. Since my first language is Russian, I had to find a Russian teacher who teaches Japanese. Now I have learned some basic sentences in Japanese,” Lâm added.
Despite difficulties, Lâm’s is keeping his head up and described the journey to Japan as “an honour”.
“I am really happy and honoured to become a Cerezo Osaka player,” said Lâm.
“When I received an offer from Cerezo Osaka, I had to think a lot, but to be honest, I really wanted to join this team because football here is very professional with many high-class players.
“The coaching staff here is also very dedicated to helping me settle in as quickly as possible. But obviously, to be successful here, it takes a lot of time and effort.
“I’m quite alone here so I hope everyone can cheer me up. The fans can go to the training ground or to the stadium to support me. For players who are away from home, it’ll be a great motivation for me to do my best.” VNS
At the State of the Union conference in Florence, Euronews sat down with Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama. The 56-year-old has recently won his third consecutive term – breaking a record in the Western Balkan state. Albania’s bid to join the European Union took centre stage in the recent parliamentary election.
“It’s very difficult to say, it‘s very difficult because we had to take this step a few years ago and then again, again and again. It didn’t happen because of the inner dynamics in the European Council and we hope it will be the case. So it’s not easy.”
“We don’t plan anything else than to continue working for it because for us Europe is not a political destination or objective. Europe is a religion and nobody can betray this religion in Albania because of the simple fact that Europe is a testament and is, at the same time, what we owe to our children and that’s why we will only work harder and harder and harder to make Albania a full functioning European State.”
“It means always as much as it meant since day one. Albanians are never tired of fighting to be part of Europe. Of course, disappointments have been subsequent and Europe has not been good in keeping its own promises. We have done our homework and we’ll continue to do so because as I said, for us Europe is what has been since the first day we got out of Communism, and it’s our first time in history that we can choose. We never had the choice, others decided for us and our place was in different spaces but not in the space we always wanted which is the European Union.”
“By not being integrated fully in the European Union the Western Balkans remains a grey zone that offers attraction and also chances to other actors, to third actors that don’t have the same benign attitude and the same values and principles that the European Union offers. And for Albania, I don’t see any immediate danger because Albanians are very fanatic about the West and about the European Union. The other countries more or less have much more to deal with these influences from other actors.”
“There is a big difference between becoming members of the European Union and entering into the full track of negotiations because as we are today, we are not ready to be members, no doubt. But as we are today, we are more than ready to enter the full track of negotiations and it’s there where the contradicting point stands and where Europe is being short-sighted and somehow even hypocritical because Albania deserves to enter the full track of negotiations and full stop.”
“I think the people of Albania have a clear sense that the job is not finished. The third mandate is a clear mandate to finish the job. It’s not the reward for a job that was already finished.”
”My take is very simple. As far as we, and when I say “we” I mean all the actors and players – the European Union, the United States, the players in the region – will not tackle the status quo with a very open and clear approach. Frustrations will be there and ideas will pop up from the most ridiculous to the strangest idea because the status quo is not an option. While we have deep disagreements to sort out, we have to agree to disagree on them and at the same time to push altogether to strengthen our cooperation, to create in the region a full functioning Schengen area with all freedoms of Europe being implemented.”
SF Archbishop Says no to Pro-Choice Catholics
Archbishop Cordileone
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco advocates barring Catholic public figures who support abortion rights from communion. President Joe Biden, the country’s second Catholic president is a pro-choice Democrat and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, another pro-choice Catholic Democrat, resides in the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
Religious Freedom in Trouble Globally
Religious Freedom is in trouble around the world, according to Religious Freedom in the World Report 2021 China is the world’s most active — though not yet most vicious — persecutor of religious believers. The plight of Muslim Uyghurs confined to reeducation camps has gained global attention. However, the Chinese Communist Party targets members of every faith, including Christians, Buddhists and Taoists. Like Islam, Christianity is viewed as a dangerous foreign import.
Saudis May Ban Foreign Hajj Visitors Again
Saudi Arabia is may bar overseas pilgrims from the annual hajj for the second year, as COVID-19 cases rise globally new variants emerge. Such a move would restrict the pilgrimage to Mecca – a once in a lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it, to Saudi nationals and residents of the kingdom who were vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19.
Utah Compromise Finds Middle Ground in Religious, LGBTQ Rights
On March 4, 2015, a group including LGBTQ leaders, representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and mostly conservative legislators announced they had forged a new state law, which would extend an array of nondiscrimination protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Utahns. The Utah Compromise, as it was called, also ensured that certain religious prerogatives, such as allowing religious colleges to limit married-student housing to opposite-sex couples, would be accommodated. With bipartisan support, the proposal became law.
Zarathustra, the Laughing Prophet
Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest religions, and the first monotheistic tradition. Its historical influence on Judaism, Christianity and Islam is arguably quite significant. Zarathustra may have been influenced by his contemporary, Buddha, and Zoroastrian founder Zarathustra was on a different plane from that of the other Western religions.
The Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) will hold an online event “Black Lives Matter – what have European churches done and learnt?” on 26 May 15.00-17.00 h (CET).
The killing of George Floyd on 25 May 2020 led to a massive boost to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, initially in the USA then globally. Social movements in Europe have responded to BLM and discussions on racism have advanced in many places since then. CCME therefore invites European Churches and ask how they have responded and where discussions are going.
The event aims at giving account of some of the developments over the last year and asking how a critical and controversial conversation can be held without leading to further division. How can critical patterns of analysis such as structural racism and white privilege help in conversation among and within churches, where we often shy away from controversy?
Case studies from Germany, Hungary and the UK will open the debate in which we hope to hear from many different churches across Europe with different discussions.
Programme details and sign up instructions will follow. In case of interest in participating, please contact: Torsten.moritz@ccme.be
“We all miss community. But young people miss community a bit more. Our vibrant social lives before the pandemic were replaced by a reality of countless days alone at home.”
Maria Sonnleithner was reflecting on young people whose mental health has been at risk amid COVID-19, even as the strain on the caring adults and churches in their lives has grown exponentially as well.
“The number of young people struggling with depression strongly increased during the pandemic,” she said. “Unfortunately, our public health systems are not well equipped to offer adequate and affordable mental health care.”
Her remarks were delivered during an online consultation on 6 May, organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Conference of European Churches to focus on the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There are some references in the media about us being the ‘new lost generation,’ the generation that is missing all the fun and good things that young people usually enjoy in this phase of their lives,” she said. “But young people don’t want to be called as ‘lost,’ because if you call them ‘lost,’ you are denying them the opportunity not to be lost and to think about their hopes, dreams, and worries.”
A member of the executive committee of the Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe, Sonnleithner works with youth in the Lutheran Church in Austria and has been participating and shaping the work with young people in the United Methodist Church on a local and global level for several years.
Heather Roy, secretary general at Eurodiaconia, added that COVID-19 has seen young people as the new group of volunteers for diakonia work. “The question is how to keep them interested in diaconal work in post pandemic era”, she said.
Participants also talked about COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on minority communities and people with disabilities. They also discussed ways to share accurate information about vaccines.
“This consultation has been a timely opportunity to consider the reality of COVID-19 in Europe,” said WCC deputy general secretary Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri. “Whilst global attention is quite rightly focused on the terrible situations in India and Brazil, COVID-19 has so far resulted in over 678,000 deaths and 30 million cases across the European Union and European Economic Area alone.”
As media attention focuses on economic consequences of the pandemic and the possibility of travel for summer holidays, the consultation focused on the impact on some of Europe’s most marginalised and vulnerable communities. “The consequences for individual human beings, irrespective of background or status, must be uppermost in the concerns of the church,” she said. “The World Council of Churches actively supported World Vaccination Week. Whilst some European countries are making good progress, COVID-19 cannot be defeated until vaccinations are available to all people in every nation.”
A panel discussion was moderated by Dr Jørgen Skov Sørensen, general secretary of the Conference of European Churches, who said: “The COVID-19 health crisis has revealed injustice, economic inequality and marginalization across the globe. The most vulnerable are facing the effects of the pandemic acutely. I am confident that European churches in a variety of contexts are not only are able to witness this reality but are able to address this issue effectively, bringing forth the message of hope and justice.”
This was the second in a series of regional consultations on the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace in the context of COVID-19. The first one was held on 27 April, focusing on the African region.
Watch the recording of the consultation
For more information or an interview, please contact:
Naveen Qayyum
Communication Officer
Conference of European Churches
Rue Joseph II, 174 B-1000 Brussels
Tel. +32 486 75 82 36
E-mail: naveen@cec-kek.be
Website: www.ceceurope.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ceceurope
Twitter: @ceceurope
You Tube: Conference of European Churches – YouTube
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The World Council of Churches has condemned violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex calling on Israel to respect the status quo of holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City in the interest of peace and stability.
In a statement May 8, the WCC abohred the overnight violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex , in which more than 200 people were initially reported to have been wounded.
Palestinian protesters threw rocks and Israeli police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets in clashes outside al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on May 10, as Israel marked the anniversary of its capture of parts of the city in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, Reuters news agency reported.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said at least 305 Palestinians were injured in the violence, and 228 of them were taken to hospital.
Several of the Palestinians were in critical condition and police said 21 officers were injured.
Al-Aqsa, which is Islam’s third-holiest site, has been a focal point of violence in Jerusalem throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and the clashes have raised international concern about wider conflict.
Violence, which has been ongoing for several nights, continued in Jerusalem as Palestinians clashed with Israeli police on Saturday, leaving many injured, NPR radio had reported May 9.
World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Ioan Sauca called on Israel to respect the status quo of holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City in the interest of peace and stability.
‘REFRAIN FROM VIOLENCE’
“We also call for all to refrain from further violence, and from provocative and destabilizing actions,” said Sauca.
WCC said the latest events mark the escalation in the mounting unrest over the increase of the Security Forces’ violence and restrictions around Jerusalem’s Old City.
“Furthermore, the recent and future threatened evictions of Palestinian families from their properties claimed by Jewish settler groups in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah district have also contributed to this escalation,” said the WCC.
It said that through its Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Israel and Palestine (EAPPI), the WCC has accompanied and provided protective presence to the Palestinian community of Sheikh Jarrah since 2008, including attending court hearings in support of families threatened with eviction.
“As the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has observed, the laws on which the settler groups’ claims are based are applied in an inherently discriminatory manner, to the detriment of Palestinians who in many cases have occupied their homes for generations”, said WCC Director for International Affairs Peter Prove.
“On behalf of the global ecumenical fellowship of churches, I express our deep distress at the plight of the Palestinian families of Sheikh Jarrah and at the unrest and violence that has ensued,” said Sauca.
The proper response, he said, “must not be more violence, but compassion and justice for the Palestinian people affected by this unfair and unjust situation.”
“Reading Reality in Times of Crisis: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Great War” looks at how ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s analysis of the crises of His time was profoundly distinct from contemporaneous “progressive” movements and thinkers. The author describes how ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s warnings about the causes of war could not be understood by societies immersed in paradigms of thought totally different from the ones He presented.
Published as part of a series honoring the centenary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s passing, “Reading Reality in Times of Crisis” joins another recently released article titled “The Cause of Universal Peace: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Enduring Impact.” This latter article looks at the circumstances around ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s participation in the 1912 Lake Mohonk Arbitration Conference and the urgency and timeliness of His message over the subsequent decades. The article also reviews efforts of the Bahá’í community to promote world peace in the decades that followed.
Also newly-published, “Paying Special Regard to Agriculture: Collective Action-Research in Africa” focuses on Bahá’í social action efforts in the field of agriculture in Africa, surveying developments across the continent and focusing on several specific examples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Bahá’í World website presents a collection of essays and articles that explore themes of relevance to the progress and well-being of humanity, highlight advancements in the worldwide Bahá’í community at the levels of thought and action, and reflect on the dynamic history of the Bahá’í Faith.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Greenwood invites anyone who is a child, a parent, a grandparent, or is simply interested in children, and any others who’d like to browse for books and have a great brunch in a beautiful outdoor setting to the church’s grounds on June 6. The event is held in conjunction with Bluebird Bookstop, the mobile book store housed in a vintage blue trailer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
They’re sponsoring Roger Hutchison, author of Come In, Come In! Hutchison is an award-winning children’s author, and he creates a world in his latest book that’s the dream of children and their parents everywhere. It’s a world where absolutely everyone is welcome, no one is mocked, hurt or frightened, and any child can accomplish anything. Besides the children in this world, Hutchison promises elephant clouds, yogi giraffes, giggling moons, dancing tricycles, pirouetting porcupines and starfish wishes, all illustrated by noted children’s book artist Nicky Mills.
Hutchison became interested in the suffering and healing of children after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. He painted with and talked with some of the surviving and grieving students, and thought about ways that art can heal people. Hutchison works at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston and, with his team, led a popular class that explored how art and literature can help us all.
Hutchison discovered that some of the best tools available for parents are already on their bookshelves, or in Sunday School classes and libraries. In his classes, he began to focus more on the wisdom of traditional and modern children’s books, classic literature, and Holy Scripture. With time-honored and modern stories, he helps children learn the universal themes of grief, acceptance and mental health with picture books, resources that might be readily available to all parents.
At the Greenwood event, Hutchison will highlight a selection of these books and talk about ways children’s literature can be used as a guide for parenting. The event is open to the public, and Kathleen Capshaw of the Greenwood parish reminds everyone that it will be a delightful afternoon, even if they just want to enjoy the sunshine, buy a book or two, try the classic Swiss Raclette from “Raclette on the Run,” or munch on cake from “Sliced.”
There may be time for some networking and advice on writing children’s books, as Hutchison is interested in engaging with aspiring writers, Capshaw said. He’s certainly qualified, having written the best-selling Faces: A Love Story, The Painting Table, My Favorite Color is Blue, Sometimes, as well as Come in, Come in!
There will be story times with Roger Hutchison, with questions for the author invited, at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. At 1 p.m., he’ll give a talk, “Where the Wild Things Are: Parenting in an Ever-Changing World,” where he’ll reveal some of the best parenting resources he’s found in children’s books.
Besides being a best-selling children’s author, Hutchison serves as the Director of Christian Formation and Parish Life at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas and is a member of the National Association of Grieving Children and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. He lives with his wife and daughter just outside of Houston.
To learn more about Hutchison and follow his story, find him on Instagram @rogerhutchisonbooks or on his website www.rogerhutchisonbooks.com. To pre-order his book and have it signed June 6, contact bluebirdbookstop.com.
Updated 9 May 2021
On May 9, 1950, there was the call for a “European community” to repair the devastation after World War II and what is known as the Schuman Declaration. He proposed the pooling of French and West German coal and steel industries, and which later led to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community, the first European Community, established on 18 April 1951. This evolved into the European Union.
However, in addition to all these economic, political, and one could even say… geographic, this very May 9th 1950, on the other side of the world, occurred an unexpected event. The launching spanned beyond any type of politics or ideologies, and according to Scientologists “its final purpose has always been peace”. This event was the publication of a book which technique has influenced the life of millions and millions of people not just in Europe but around the world.
Its title is DIANETICS, which philosopher and World Guinness Record writer L. Ron Hubbard, piblished on May 9th 1950. And while it started covering how could one become in control of his/her own mind to achieve personal and social peace, it developed into a practical religion, Scientology, and the members of this recognized religion celebrate worldwide its publication [watch a short introduction in Scientology Network].
May 9th, most commonly known as “Europe Day”, is also known as “Dianetics Day”, and currently is also recognized by the Spanish government Foundation Pluralismo y Convivencia, as one of the religious festivities of the Scientologists. And this is why many European Scientologists say “Europe Day is also Dianetics Day”.
This book launched by L Ron Hubbard on the power of thought and the human being began helping each person to spread a smile. Dianetics immediately became a bestseller at the New York Times. It contained unforeseen discoveries, and has remained a bestseller for more than 60 years. There are more than 22 million copies in the hands of the public, and has generated a movement that spans over 100 nations. It’s indisputably the most widely read and influential book ever written about the human mind. It covers the “anatomy and full description” of the reactive mind, the source of nightmares, unreasonable fears, upsets and insecurities which enslave citizens from all nations. Reportedly, this book shows you how to get rid of it, and so achieve something men and women have previously only dreamed of: the State of Clear. If you like reading, and want to explore your own boundaries, this is book Scientologists would recommend you more than any other.
In celebration of this 71st anniversary of Dianetics, the Fundacion para la Mejora de la Vida, and the European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights, located in Brussels, are organizing showings of introductory videos for people who want to either help themselves, their families, friends or society at large.
Find more about Europe Day at the official EU WEBSITE.
Does our legal order respect religion too much? The constitution protects freedom of religion, belief and opinion, and the right to practice one’s religion. It also recognises the dangers that may come with religion. Thus these rights may not be exercised in a way inconsistent with other rights in the Bill of Rights.
Many wars have been fought and atrocities committed under the banner of religion. Much good has also been done. Food and shelter have been provided to the down-and-out. Faith, however irrational, helps many people to cope with tragedy and trauma such as the loss of a loved one — perhaps a positive use of the “opium of the masses”.
It might also have given Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng the courage to stand up to the intimidation and temptation of the Zuma era. When former president Jacob Zuma nominated him, he was not well known.
Before the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) he declared that God wanted him to be chief justice. God told him so. One commentator opined that in other countries people who hear voices were treated in mental institutions; we make them chief justice. As pastor he reportedly told a congregation that because he had fasted, God made him the third most powerful man in the country. South Africa held its breath.
He surprised many. During my time on the Constitutional Court, he never tried to force his faith into debates or judgments. In the early years he openly canvassed the views and wisdom of experienced colleagues. He understood issues quickly, sometimes while academic debates among us were still going on.
In judgments and public speeches he stood up for the independence of the judiciary, against the executive. You do not fear “Numbah One” if you believe that the real One-and-Only is right behind you. He set an example for other judges. Given events in other young democracies, he might have saved our justice system.
Recently, with his legacy on the line, he has been scoring several own goals. His conduct in the JSC, about Minister Pravin Gordhan’s alleged attempt — years ago — to influence the appointment of Constitutional Court judges, seemed bizarre. At least twice his faith guided him to lead the judiciary into stormy waters. The book of Genesis tells one that he who curses Israel will himself be cursed, he said. Then he publicly prayed that the Covid-19 vaccine that comes from the Devil be destroyed by fire. His fiery explanation at a media briefing went further: the vaccine with the mark 666 that comes from the mouth of the beast must be destroyed — or something to that effect.
It caused consternation in these desperate days when medical science tries to save human lives. Conspiracy lovers, often searching for an own identity and something to rebel against, already allege that Bill Gates, the Pope, or whoever, wants to inject a microchip into your body to track and control you. Now “the beast” is another force to reckon with. Who is she or he? Has Gates replaced Beast Mtawarira after his retirement as Springbok prop? I thought beloved Beast was a good guy.
Mogoeng’s defenders argued that as a citizen he had the fundamental constitutional rights to freedom of religion and expression. He does not waive his rights because of his position. At least one revered retired judge told a journalist that one had to be extremely careful with a sensitive issue such as religion.
That the chief justice has rights, is besides the point though.
Everyone has the right to freedom of movement. You may walk on the pavement and cross the road where traffic rules permit it. But would it be wise for a frail person to try to sneak across in heavy traffic, in front of trucks from the one side and a full school bus from the other? Should one not exercise some mature discretion as to the time, place and manner in which you exercise rights? Obvious responsibilities and dangers linked to your position cannot be irrelevant. Or, does one have another right, namely to act stupidly?
The chief justice represents the judiciary. One wonders how a Muslim under the stress of legal trouble might feel in a court full of learned people in gowns and bibs, if the boss bib-wearer preaches fire and brimstone over anyone that “curses” Israel.
And, should a litigant be worried that the birthmark on his head may resemble the 666 found on the demon child in horror films such as The Omen?
In a democracy under the rule of law people who pay hard-earned money to professional lawyers should be able to trust courts to take rational decisions based on the law, rather than on signs and sorcery.
On quite another level, we hear about preachers who require their followers to drink petrol, eat snakes, inhale insect killer or avail their bodies for pastoral service. Under the right to freedom of religion they are often defended, also by the Chapter 9 Commission for the Protection of Religious (and other) Communities … until rape and commercial crime charges follow very late, after much harm.
A false representation to gain a benefit is fraud — a criminal offence. Preachers such as Benny Hinn tell emotional crowds in poor areas that if they give their last R1 000 to his ministry to buy another aircraft for God’s work, they will be richly blessed. And, if they truly believe, their terminal cancer will disappear. If they die, they are to blame — their faith was weak.
Why are these charlatans never criminally charged, or only after millions have disappeared? Is it not fraudulent to sell miraculous healing from a painful fatal disease?
For prosecutors the problem seems to be that the intent to defraud must be proven. The preacher must know that the promise in exchange for money is false, that the cancer will not disappear. Because he may be a true believer, we give him the benefit of the doubt. He may not foresee that possibility. And, what if the cancer does disappear? Hands off holy things!
One must not overrate rationality. “Miracles’’ might be possible. Ages ago X-rays and laser therapy would have been supernatural. But reasonableness, as best we understand it, is central to the law. As far as we know, the cancer is extremely unlikely to disappear because money changes hands, accompanied by a prayer or anointing. This, the preacher should know, probably does know … and thus foresees. If he gets the benefit of the doubt, the youngster who kills an old woman believed to be a witch, should also get it. After all, what if she is one?
So, are we too protective, or fearful, of religion? Sometimes we might not even protect it, but rather the cold-hearted charlatans and psychopaths who use religion as a profitable business model or vehicle for narcissism.
Here is a sampling of indoor, outdoor and online religious services in the San Fernando Valley area.
Encountering Christ in Harmony: The Office of Ethnic Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles presents an online talk by the Rev. Linh Hoang, 10 a.m.-noon May 8. Auxiliary Bishop Alejandro “Alex” Aclan, from the San Fernando Pastoral Region of the Archdiocese will lead a question and answer session after the presentation. Register in advance here: lacatholics.org/event/encountering-christ-in-harmony. 213-637-7356. lacatholics.org
Mother’s Day Virtual Rosary: Catholic Cemeteries & Mortuaries of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles hold the online Rosary, 2 p.m. May 8. Watch the live stream on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/lacatholics, or catholiccm.org
Temple Beth Hillel services: Havdalah online, 7 p.m. May 8 (click on the Facebook link here: bit.ly/2QRnGLG). Shabbat service, 7 p.m. May 14 (bit.ly/2RpUKtX). The Reform Jewish temple is in Valley Village. 818-763-9148. tbhla.org
Reseda Church of Christ’s Sunday service: Online on Facebook, 8 a.m. May 9. The senior minister is the Rev. Dewayne Winrow. www.facebook.com/ResedaChurch; resedachurch.com
Be a Godly Woman: The Rev. Rob Denton delivers a Mother’s Day message, based on Isaiah 66:2, Matthew 6:33-34 and Proverbs 31:30, at the 9 a.m. (on the lawn) and 10:30 a.m. (indoors and online) on May 9. West Valley Christian Church, 22450 Sherman Way, West Hills. 818-884-6480. www.wvcch.org; www.facebook.com/westvalley.christianchurch
Back to the Sanctuary: Pastor Jim Sillerud delivers the message as the congregation moves back indoors, 9 a.m. (a blended service), and 11 a.m. (contemporary service) on May 9. Masks must be worn and temperatures will be taken; limited seating. First Presbyterian Church of Granada Hills, 10400 Zelzah Ave., Northridge. 818-360-1831. Email: officeadmin@fpcgh.org. Facebook: www.facebook.com/fpcgh. Read more about the Covid-19 guidelines and the church here: bit.ly/3xUelmX
The Church on the Way: In-person and online Sunday service, 9 a.m., and an in-person service, 11 a.m. May 9. Senior pastors are Deborah and Tim Clark. 14300 Sherman Way, Van Nuys. 818-779-8000. Email: info@tcotw.org. thechurchontheway.org; www.facebook.com/myTCOTW
Sixth Sunday in Easter with Our Redeemer Lutheran Church: Traditional service, 9 a.m., and a contemporary service, 11:30 a.m. (also live stream on Facebook) on May 9. 8520 Winnetka Ave., Winnetka. 818-341-3460. Facebook: bit.ly/2FhJvy1. www.our-redeemer.org
Services with the Rev. Chuck Bunnell at Prince of Peace Lutheran, St. Andrew’s Lutheran and on YouTube: In-person services on May 9: 9 a.m. at Prince of Peace (9440 Balboa Blvd., Northridge), and also at 11 a.m. at St. Andrew’s Lutheran (15520 Sherman Way, Van Nuys). For more information or for prayer request, 818-782-5953.
Favoritism: Pastor Timothy Jenks explains the message, based on Acts 10:34-48, 9:30 a.m. May 9. The service is in-person but mask wearing and social distancing are observed. Sermons also available on the church’s Facebook (bit.ly/33bLo8k) or here www.cplchurch.org/worship-videos-2. Canoga Park Lutheran Church, 7357 Jordan Ave. 818-348-5714. www.cplchurch.org
Sixth Sunday in Easter with St. Luke Lutheran Church: The Rev. Janet Hansted delivers the message on Mother’s Day, 9:30 a.m. May 9. Watch on Facebook here: bit.ly/3lJkVX4 or the Zoom link from the website. The church is in Woodland Hills. Voice mail, 818-346-3070. Email: office.saint.lutheran@gmail.com. www.stlukelutheran.com
How Do You See?: The Rev. Joseph Choi, from Northridge United Methodist Church, delivers the message, based on Deuteronomy 1:19-33, 10 a.m. (in English) and 11:30 a.m. (in Korean) on May 9. Watch here: youtube.com/numcvideo. The church’s May newsletter: bit.ly/3aNgWF2. 818-886-1555. Facebook: www.facebook.com/northridgeumc. www.northridgeumc.org
Thanks for Loving Others: The Rev. Bill Freeman, from Congregational Church of Chatsworth, explains the message online, 10 a.m. May 9. Find the Zoom link on the website. 616-796-5598. billfreeman.org
Sixth Sunday in Easter with Prince of Peace Episcopal Church: Online on YouTube, 10 a.m. May 9. Readings for this service: Psalm 98, Acts 10:44-48 and John 15:9-17. Find the Sunday bulletin and links to the online service here: www.popwh.org/happenings.html. The church is in Woodland Hills. 818-346-6968. www.popwh.org
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles: Sunday Masses are live streamed, 10 a.m. (in English) and noon (Spanish) from the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels: lacatholics.org/mass-for-the-homebound. The daily Masses are live streamed from the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, 8 a.m. (in English). For local parishes that live stream Mass: lacatholics.org/parish-livestreams. Facebook: www.facebook.com/lacatholics. For more information: lacatholics.org
Sunday with Woodland Hills Community Church (United Church of Christ): The Rev. Craig Peterson delivers the message online, 10 a.m. May 9. Piano prelude, 9:45 a.m. Watch the service from the church’s Facebook here: www.facebook.com/whccucc. voice mail, 818-346-0820. Email: whccucc@gmail.com. www.woodlandhillscommunitychurch.org
Flower Communion Sunday: Rev. Matthew McHale and worship associate David Early lead the service, 10:30 a.m. May 9. Watch the service on Zoom with the link: bit.ly/3hh4xKc and use ID: 8581092800 and the Password: chalice. Listen by phone: 669-900-6833 and use the ID number and press #. Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church is in Canoga Park. 818-887-6101. www.emersonuuc.org
@relationaljesus with First United Methodist Church of North Hollywood: The Rev. Steve Peralta explains the message based on John 17:6-19, 10:30 a.m. May 9. Watch on the church’s Facebook here: bit.ly/2Qz5iHj, or YouTube here: bit.ly/3vzgzpR. More about the church here: bit.ly/3hbDiEj
Revolutionary Love: The Rev. Michael McMorrow explains the message, based on the center’s May theme “Wholly Holy Uprising,” 10:30 a.m. May 9. In addition, McMorrow gives a “Mid-Day Reset,” at noon Monday-Friday on the center’s Facebook (www.facebook.com/csl.granadahills). Center for Spiritual Living-Granada Hills. 818-363-8136. Click on the link to watch the service here: www.youtube.com/user/CSLGranadaHills. https://www.cslgh.org
Rise Up, Stand Up: The Rev. Stephen Rambo delivers the Sunday message, 10:30 a.m. May 9 (click to watch here: bit.ly/2QXkjCE). Center for Spiritual Living-Simi Valley. 805-527-0870. www.facebook.com/cslsimi; www.cslsimi.org
I Am One With Life: Liz Raci gives her thoughts on the center’s May theme, 11 a.m. May 9. The theme is based on John 1:4. Watch the service on Zoom here: bit.ly/39Y0TTv and use ID: 3148040257, or by phone, 669-900-6833 and use the ID and press #. Unity Burbank – Center for Spiritual Awareness’s Facebook here: www.facebook.com/unityburbank. Sign up for the center’s “Words of Light” newsletter here: unityburbank.org
Shabbat with Shomrei Torah Synagogue: Musical Kabbalat Shabbat service, 6-7:15 p.m. May 14 (bit.ly/3nSdgXY) and a traditional Shabbat morning service, 10 a.m.-noon May 15 (www.stsonline.org/calendar). The Conservative Jewish congregation is in West Hills. Voice mail, 818-854-7650. www.stsonline.org
Shabbat with Temple Ramat Zion: Evening service, 6 p.m. May 14, and the morning service, 9 a.m. May 15. The Conservative Jewish congregation is at 17655 Devonshire St., Northridge (registration is required for in-person attendance.). Voice mail, 818-360-1881. Watch the services on the YouTube link from the website. www.trz.org
Shabbat with Temple Judea: Use the Facebook link to watch the service, 6:15 p.m. May 14. The Reform Jewish congregation is in Tarzana. 818-758-3800. Email: info@templejudea.com. The temple’s Facebook: bit.ly/3fEI0G5. templejudea.com
Shabbat with Temple Beth Emet: Rabbi Mark H. Sobel leads the service, 7 p.m. May 14. The service is indoors (masks required; read other guidelines on the temple’s “Chai Times” newsletter for attending). 600 N. Buena Vista St., Burbank. 818-843-4787. bit.ly/3h7TUgq
Shavuot – Ascending the Mountain: Join with Temple Judea in Tarzana and Temple Beth El in Aliso Viejo for an evening of study and music related to Shavuot – the holiday of reliving the experience of receiving the Ten Commandments and the Torah, 6:15 p.m. May 16 to 2 a.m. May 17. Check the details and how to watch here: bit.ly/3eu4Djz.
Shavuot with Shomrei Torah Synagogue: “Tikkun Leil Shavuot” program, 7:30-11 p.m. May 16 (check here for how to participate on Zoom: bit.ly/3xQo9y8). Shavuot morning service online, 10 a.m. May 17 (bit.ly/33jaj9B). Rabbi Richard Camras and Cantor Jackie Rafii lead an evening service, 7 p.m. May 17 (watch on Zoom here: bit.ly/3xUagyO and use ID: 89853735830 and Passcode: Shavuot). The Conservative Jewish congregation is in West Hills. Voice mail, 818-854-7650. www.stsonline.org
Shavuot with Chabad of the Conejo: Service, with a reading of the Ten Commandments, 9:30 a.m. May 17. Check out more Shavuot services, including services at other Chabad locations in the Conejo Valley, on the website. Outdoors, 30345 Canwood St., Agoura Hills. 818-991-0991. bit.ly/3y2u5V0
Send information at least two weeks ahead. holly.andres@dailynews.com. 818-713-3708.