US entering new era of religious hostility, 40 killed in Nigeria bombing, parents forgive ISIS killers, Pope Francis calls for a “change in mentality” within Church and more ..

VATICAN CITY

New Kremlin-Vatican axis emerges as Europe falters: 
"As the home of godlessness since the French Revolution, Europe cannot expect an easy ride from the Vatican." "Massimo Franco, the political columnist for Corriere della Sera newspaper who has written about the Francis-Putin alliance, says it is not a vote of confidence in Mr. Putin or a desire to distance the Vatican from western values. Rather it is a recognition of the “contradictions, divisions and lack of strategic vision of the West in the Middle East."  (I contend, as I have for some time, that despite reports to the contrary, we are going to see a closing of the gap between Russia and Rome. Time will tell!) 
THE NATIONAL

 

NORTH AMERICA

US entering dangerous 
new era in religious hostility 
CBN

Peter Kassig’s 
parents forgive ISIS killers for beheading their son 
GOSPEL HERALD

1 in 4 Americans turning to food pantries 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

400-year-old relic arrives in San Antonio 
KSAT

Catholic school 
principal shuts down Grade 6 students’ project on gay rights (And the gay lobby "rejoice" as we fumble over how to respond to these matters. What a mess!) 
OTTAWA CITIZEN

Conservative and liberal Catholics don’t agree on much at the moment, but they do agree on one thing: The 
Catholic Church is headed toward a schism 
PHILLY

Motorcycling 
nun leads clinic program to help uninsured 
HOUSTON CHRONICLE

 

LATIN AMERICA

Mexican police discover 11 mutilated and decapitated corpses dumped on the roadside (Mexico remains in need of our continued prayers) 
DAILY MAIL LONDON

 

ISRAEL

Tough times for Catholic aid workers in Jerusalem 
CATHOLIC HERALD LONDON

 

RECOMMENDED ON ALETEIA

Randall Smith proposes a 
"Bishop’s Accreditation" for centers of Catholic higher education—and makes some powerful points! 
ALETEIA

The Aleteia Team highlight the relentless persecution of Christians. In this instance, how an entire Christina community has had to flee their homes as a result of a marriage between a Christian and a Muslim in Pakistan. 
"This is the third time during the past few weeks that Christian families have been forced to leave their village because of Muslims." (A point to remember when someone turns around and says "those are extremists, what they are doing is not
true Islam," is that these actions are wholly mandated in the Koran). 
ALETEIA

Christians persecuted in the Middle East: An Interview with the Archbishop of Beirut—(We need to keep the plight of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East at the forefront of our hearts and minds. Thousands upon thousands are suffering while support from the West remains largely lethargic.) 
ALETEIA

 

BRITAIN

Religious influence in schools criticized in House of Lords (Some who are not happy about the current direction of Pope Francis in the area of ecumenism (and by ecumenism I refer to unity between churches as opposed to multi-faith dialogue) need to consider that the Christian faith across all denominations has been under relentless attack in recent years. Some may not want us to be "close" to other Christians denominations but, I would suggest, we actually need each other in order to stand effectively against the continued and intensifying assault against our many shared beliefs) 
SECULARISM

.Islamic 
prostitution gangs active in Britain 
DAILY MAIL LONDON
.

Pupils at Hunterhouse College in Belfast 
quizzed on religious views of homosexuality: (While pupils in Ottawa are being silenced over homework highlighting gay rights, in Northern Ireland school specifically asks them for input. Again, the gay rights lobby must be laughing themselves silly as they watch us falling over our feet in our various responses to homosexuality).—I can only repeat .. what a mess!) 
BELFAST TELEGRAPH

And so it begins! (As well as several secular manuscripts (novels mainly) predicting the role of children in the "last days" Holy Scripture makes it clear that some children will betray their parents. It has to start somewhere .. and in the UK we seem to be getting on with it! So sad.) 
DAILY MAIL LONDON

 

EUROPE

How 
secular equality is stripping true freedom (The dark agenda of secularist liberalism) 
CHRISTIAN TODAY

Ratzingerians meet in St. Benedict’s birthplace—
"Europe’s rejection of its Christian roots has created a cultural weakness that has allowed the resurgence of aggressive Islam," a coalition of “Ratzingerian” thinkers, activists, and politicians heard in the Italian town of Norcia 
LIFE SITE

Real Madrid loses Christian cross from club crest to appease Abu Dhabi bank (Yes, this is just how we should respond, by lifting up Islam and mammon above our God and Creator. God help us!) 
DAILY TELEGRAPH LONDON

The bishop-elect of Galloway Diocese has said he was 
"gobsmacked" to be appointed, but is ‘trusting the Holy Spirit’ as he asked for prayers ahead of his Episcopal ordination 
SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER

 

AFRICA

40 killed at Nigerian bus stop 
DAILY TIMES PAKISTAN

5 killed and seven injured in additional Boko Haram attack 
ABC NEWS

 

ASIA, FAR EAST AND AUSTRALIA

10 killed by gunmen at Indian Army base in Kashmir 
DAILY TIMES PAKISTAN 

6 killed and 30 injured in attack against British Embassy vehicle in Afghanistan  
WASHINGTON POST 

 

~ ~ ~

ADDITIONAL

The UN loves young people. 
It just doesn’t want too many of them! 
LIFE SITE

An 
unthankful nation is an unthinking nation 
CHRISTIAN POST

A glimpse of San Augustin’s Church Manila 
JOHN FALCH

"Close your eyes, I’m coming with you"—Devoted husband’s last words to his dying wife just hours before he died by her side of a broken heart 
DAILY MAIL LONDON

 

ASQUITH’S COMMENT

Today’s news counts just over 60 people killed through various terrorist actions around the world within the past 24 hours; that’s a shocking number—and these are just the cases which have made it to the various news desks. I say "shocking," but is it? Our children are growing up surrounded by headlines we rarely saw. Ten years from now (probably less) will they be inured to such news? How about us, are we already there? While I am not suggesting we should feign sympathy or concern (that would be to deceive ourselves), I do recommend we pray to the Father to keep our hearts sensitive to the atrocities in our world. Speaking of what eschatologists refer to as the "end times" St. Matthew’s Gospel records the words of Christ in which He says, 
"
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." The Church must 
not be like the world and our love must 
never grow cold. This means (from my own experience) regularly asking our Father to keep our hearts sensitive and loving, even if this inflicts unwanted pain (which it will). The promise of God however is that He will comfort us in our pain. St. Paul puts it this way, 
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 

 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, amidst the increasing depravity in our world, please keep my heart open, vulnerable and sensitive, that I might echo Christ in my responses to those around me, trusting that you will guard my soul as I seek to serve you in loving others. This I ask in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ my Lord. 
Amen.