Sunday, December 30, 2012

Catholic church receives bomb threat post Christmas | The Jakarta Post

The following excerpts are from The Jakarta Post:
  • The North Sumatra Police’s bomb squad on Saturday secured an alleged homemade bomb, that contained 500 grams of nails, which was found in the backyard of Salaon Toba Catholic Church in Samosir Island, located at the center of the renowned Lake Toba.
  • The church’s priest, Herman Nainggolan, said the package was found following a text message received by local district head Ronggur Ni Huta at 11:11 p.m. local time on Friday that read, “There is a bomb in your jurisdiction at the Salaon Church.”
  • The text message was promptly reported to the police, which sent a team to inspect the church. 
  • “No one had the courage to move it. It [the bomb] was secured only after the bomb squad arrived today,” Nainggolan said on Saturday.
  • The suspicious package, which was packed in two drinking bottles, stirred panic among the congregation taking part in Christmas mass. 
  • The team arrived at the church at about 11:30 a.m. and brought the package to the Samosir Police headquarters for further examination.
  • Samosir Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Donny Damanik said the package had been examined and it was not a bomb. It did not contain explosive material, but it was equipped with batteries connected to the nails with cables.
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Catholic church receives bomb threat post Christmas | The Jakarta Post

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Nigeria: 2 churches attacked during Christmas services; 12 dead : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

The following excerpts are from Catholic Culture's Catholic World News:
  • Two Protestant churches in Nigeria suffered terrorist attacks during Christmas services.
Read more by clicking below:
Nigeria: 2 churches attacked during Christmas services; 12 dead : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

Thursday, November 29, 2012

India: court sentences Hindu marauders for anti-Christian violence in Orissa : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

The following excerpts are from Reuters:
  • A court in India has sentenced 12 Hindu militants to prison terms in connection with the anti-Christian violence that broke out in the state of Orissa in 2008.
Read more by clicking below:
India: court sentences Hindu marauders for anti-Christian violence in Orissa : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

Friday, November 23, 2012

From The Dignitatis Humanae Institute: Egypt's Embattled Christians Fear Exclusion Under New Islamist Constitution

Note: The following is a press release from The Dignitatis Humanae Institute


  London, 23 November 2012

As the Western media shift attention from crisis to crisis in the Middle East, one continuing, omnipresent tragedy goes wilfully ignored, the violent persecution of the regions' remaining Christians.  Nowhere is this more evident than Egypt, where the new government, dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood, press on with the drafting of a new constitution with Sharia Law it is core and little tolerance for Christians.

As Syria and Gaza dominate the headlines, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has quickly gone about shaping what was once a relatively moderate nation into an Islamist republic.  The Arab Spring's ambitious hopes for pluralist democracies has quickly faded, only to be supplemented with theocratic regimes potentially worse than those which preceded them.

The Christians of Egypt, amounting to approximately 10% of the population, have expressed growing despondency as to the nature of the draft constitution.  Church leaders have found themselves repeatedly shut out of dialogue by the nations' Salafis who are determined to enshrine their dominance into law.  While the future constitution looks bleak for religious minorities, the persecution of the Coptic community continues each day.  Since President Morsi and the Muslim brotherhood gained power dozens of Christians have been murdered in addition to increased attacks on Christian property and the burning of Churches.  Kidnappings are not uncommon as well as reports of qualified Christians being turned away from employment.

Speaking from his office in Westminster to the Dignitatis Humanae Institute, Lord Alton, Honorary President of the British Coptic Association and Chairman of the Cross-Party Working Group on Human Dignity, appealed to the Egyptian government to remain true to their election assurances: 

"Mohammed Morsi swept to power on the promise that he would rule for all Egyptians, including the Christian community.  As the future constitution is drafted and the next chapter of Egyptian history determined, President Morsi must be held accountable to his solemn pledge to bring peace and tolerance to the marginalised communities of Egypt.  The Coptic community have shown remarkable forbearance in these past five months, I sincerely hope their patience with the new government will not be betrayed through further degradation."

The Dignitatis Humanae Institute aims to uphold human dignity based on the anthropological truth that man is born in the image and likeness of God and therefore has an innate human dignity of infinite worth to be upheld. The Institute promotes this understanding by supporting Christians in public life, assisting them to present effective and coherent responses to increasing efforts to silence the Christian voice in the public square.