skip to main |
skip to sidebar
From Premier-
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has used his new year message to praise the "depth of compassion" shown by communities responding to terrorism and tragedy.
The Anglican leader said the 2017 terrorist atrocities in London and Manchester and the Grenfell Tower disaster had been met with heroism from the emergency services.
But he also used his message to highlight the suffering of people "struggling to find work or relying on food banks" whose plight did not make national headlines.
The Archbishop used his message, being broadcast on the BBC, to say that as well as the attacks in London and Manchester, "all over the world we witnessed the horror and devastation caused by terrorism".
There had also been other "terrible tragedies", he said, adding that he visited Grenfell Tower when the west London block was still burning and "I remember the desperation and sorrow".
More here-
https://www.premier.org.uk/News/UK/Archbishop-hails-compassion-of-communities-in-wake-of-terrorism-and-Grenfell
also here-
https://news.sky.com/story/archbishop-praises-response-to-terrorism-in-new-year-message-11191298
From Forbes-
Romans looked forward to the free food and games that occurred at annual New Year's celebrations, but early Christian clerics were not as keen on the revelries. Long before the so-called "war on Christmas," there was the war on New Year's Day.
The Romans called January 1st the Kalends of January. It was termed the Kalendae in Latin or Καλάνδαι in Greek, and was placed on public calendars called fasti. The Kalends is what gives us the modern word "calendar." The Kalendae Ianuariae was a time of particular hope and anticipation for the coming year. It was filled with celebrations and religious rites that focused on the health of individual Romans and of the state.
Romans literally got off on the right foot by leading with their right leg as they entered temples, houses and other doorways on this and many other days. As archaeologist Steven J.R. Ellis has noted, one's right foot was considered far more auspicious than their sinister foot (left foot), and one always wanted to begin auspiciously in a new year.
New Year's celebrations normally began with a large parade within the city of Rome on January 1 that is not all that different from the Tournament of Roses parade that precedes the Rose Bowl. Senators, magistrates, clients and many others met at the houses of the two designated consuls for the year and–at least in the Republic and early empire–traditionally sacrificed two bulls at the temple for Jupiter Optimus Maximus.
More here-
https://www.forbes.com/sites/drsarahbond/2018/01/01/why-did-early-christians-and-pagans-fight-over-new-years-day/#25df26262d64
From RNS-
Pope Francis on Monday recommended jettisoning life’s “useless baggage” in 2018, including what he called “empty chatter” and banal consumerism, and focusing instead on building a peaceful and welcoming world, particularly for refugees and migrants.
Francis offered his reflections on paring down non-essentials as he celebrated New Year’s Day Mass Monday in St. Peter’s Basilica and later greeted some 40,000 people in St. Peter’s Square.
His advice included setting aside a moment of silence daily to be with God. Doing so would help “keep our freedom from being corroded by the banality of consumerism, the blare of commercials, the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting,” Francis said.
More here-
http://religionnews.com/2018/01/01/pope-on-2018-forget-lifes-useless-baggage-work-for-peace/
From ENS-
Recently I stood in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral, which was bombed on 14th November, 1940. On the remains of the wall behind the altar are written the words, ‘Father Forgive’ – echoing the words that Jesus prayed as his enemies crucified him. The day after the bombing, the Provost of the Cathedral, an extraordinary man called Dick Howard, made a commitment not to revenge but to seek forgiveness and reconciliation.
On Christmas Day that year, Provost Howard preached a sermon that was broadcast across the Empire on the BBC. In it, he called for a new and more Christ-like world after the war.
I started life as a clergyman here in Coventry. I was ordained in the new Cathedral, which was built alongside the ruins. I never imagined I’d work here, but for five years I helped lead Coventry’s global ministry of reconciliation, which grew out of Dick Howard’s vision and now has 200 partners for peace around the world.
More here-
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2017/01/01/archbishop-of-canterburys-2017-new-year-message/
From Latin Times-
Known for his sensible advice (including his 10 steps to achieve happiness), Pope Francis gave out some New Year’s resolutions for everyone at the Vatican and the world. And even though they are deeply rooted in Catholic teachings, these can apply to many different aspects of life including spirituality, work and relationships, amongst others. If you already have your resolutions all set, take a moment to review these and maybe you can implement them as ways to live. Happy New Year!
1. “Take care of your spiritual life, your relationship with God, because this is the backbone of everything we do and everything we are.”
More here-
http://www.latintimes.com/pope-francis-shares-10-new-years-resolutions-vatican-employees-and-world-362451
From ACNS-
Marsh Academy is a school in my own diocese of Canterbury. Today, I’ve been meeting and chatting to some of the students – an experience I found very uplifting.
I had the honour to meet, privately, an inspiring boy, who at just 14 fled his homeland in North Africa after soldiers stormed his school and attempted to abduct him. He was saved by a courageous teacher but was so terrified that it would happen again he decided to escape. This is just one example of the many desperate journeys children are making on their own to save their lives.
This school represents the best of what we can do in this country. It welcomes, it loves, it serves, it teaches and equips people and demonstrates our ability to live up to our long established tradition of warmth and hospitality.
More here-
http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2016/01/the-archbishop-of-canterburys-new-year-message.aspx
From New York-
After a five-year-long legal battle regarding her will, former Briarcliff Manor millionaire philanthropist Brooke Astor will be able to say one last thank you to All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Briarcliff Manor and Trinity Episcopal Church in Ossining.Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced last week a settlement had been reached “allowing $100 million that had been in limbo to start flowing to charities.” Officials with the vestries for All Saints’ and Trinity confirmed Sunday Astor bequeathed $10,000 apiece to the churches in the will. Astor passed away in 2007 at the age of 105. She frequently attended both churches in Briarcliff and Ossining and supported both organizations through previous donations, officials said Sunday.Church officials said they were honored to find out about the donations and said they will take the time and care to make sure the money is spent as Astor would’ve intended.More here-
http://www.thedailybriarcliff.com/news/astor-will-bequeaths-10000-briarcliff-church
From England-
The Bishop of Durham has issued a hard hitting message for the New Year.In it, Bishop Justin calls for confidence, optimism and hope based on God's love and urges generosity and courage to make a stance against the downturn in the economy and the impact on jobs."I would love to see business leaders making sane plans for expansion, investment and creation of jobs. Lets remember that investing in people is the very best asset any business can possess."Bishop Justin"I'm setting myself three New Year Resolutions to seek at all levels, generosity, care about moral values and spiritual renewal," he said."These are key messages for all of us to take to our hearts in what is sure to be a very challenging new year in 2012."But, if we all work together for the common good, we can turn these difficult times into something that can have a significant beneficial effect.”More here-
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/darlington/9444055.Bishop_of_Durham_issues_hard_hitting_New_Year_message/
Form New York-
Occupy Wall Street protesters seeking long-term use of a Trinity Church-owned lot in Hudson Square gained a powerful backer Thursday night, when Archbishop Desmond Tutu urged the house of worship to allow protesters to use the space.In a "message of solidarity" posted to OccupyWallStreet.org that addressed protesters as "Sisters and Brothers," the South African Nobel Peace Prize winner likened his country's and the protesters' struggles and asked Trinity to work with them."I appeal to [Trinity] to find a way to help you," he wrote. "I appeal to them to embrace the higher calling of Our Lord Jesus Christ — which they live so well in all other ways."Tutu added on Friday that protesters seeking to occupy land at the northeast corner of Varick and Canal streets, where demonstrators and a DNAinfo photographer were arrested Nov. 15, should not use his statement to justify breaking the law."It is not necessary to forcibly break into property. Nor is it [necessary] to reinforce or build higher the barriers between people of faith who seek peace and justice," he said.Read more:
http://www.dnainfo.com/20111216/greenwich-village-soho/desmond-tutu-backs-occupy-wall-street-push-for-duarte-square#ixzz1gnEc3hPf
From AFP-
The leader of the world's Anglicans said people needed to reflect on the "big picture" in 2011, however remote it might seem as they battle personally with the global financial downturn's repercussions.In his New Year message delivered Saturday, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams celebrated the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, saying its rich language still helped people to see "the big picture" in life."It's good for us to have some long-lasting furniture in our minds, words and images that have something a bit mysterious about them and that carry important experiences for us that we can't find words of our own for," the Church of England leader said."As the King James Bible took hold of the imaginations of millions of people in the English-speaking world, it gave them just that -- a big picture, a story in which their lives made sense."Four hundred years on, that can feel quite remote."You may feel that there?s only one big story and that's about money and whether I've got a job tomorrow or whether my children can afford higher education," he said."Whether you're a Christian or belong to another religion or whether you have nothing you'd want to call a religion at all, some kind of big picture matters.More here-
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iyfX7mQQvuW5_SpZ69bXoyLdOc4w?docId=CNG.90ed452c24b4c3a555ac6076fb1f566c.271
From Premier-
