Tag Archives: Pope Francis

Religion, The Media

VATICAN SCOLDS CATHOLIC FOUNDATION OVER NEW COMIC BOOK

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imageVatican City, Italy (The Adobo Chronicles) – The Vatican has sent a stern reprimand to the Communication Foundation for Asia (CFA) for spreading false information that Pope Francis is merely a comic book superhero.

Based in Manila, CFA is a not-for-profit foundation whose mission is to harness the power of communication in order to promote Christian values and empower people in need towards social transformation.

In preparation for the Philippine visit in January by Pope Francis, the foundation has published a new comic book depicting the leader of the Catholic church as a fictitious character in the likes of Superman, Batman and Spiderman. The comic book’s title is “A Pope Named Francis.”

In its letter, The Vatican said that “Pope Francis is a real person, not a comic book superhero. While he seems too good to be true because of his down-to-earth policies and actions, the Pope is real. Let us not mislead our children – and adults – to believe otherwise.”

In view of the scolding, the foundation is now considering several alternatives on what to do with the millions of copies of the new comic book. One of the options being mulled is to burn the copies in a huge bonfire to be held at Rizal Park (Luneta) in Manila on the eve of Pope Francis’ arrival in the Philippines.

To cover the cost of producing the comic books, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is designating this Sunday’s collections to reimburse the foundation. CBCP appealed to the Filipinos to drop real money — not play money — in the collection basket.

Human Interest, International, Religion, Sports, Travel

WORLD CUP FINALS: TENSION IN THE VATICAN

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Popes Francis, left, and Benedict, right
Popes Francis, left, and Benedict, right

Rome, Italy (The Adobo Chronicles) – It has come down to this: Germany or Argentina. Which team will win the 2014 World Cup?

The answer might boil down to who has greater favor with God — Pope Francis or Pope Benedict. Both Pontiffs have reportedly engaged in some major prayer petitions lately on behalf of their respective football teams.

Pope Francis is from Argentina and Pope Benedict is from Germany.

The outcome of Sunday’s World Cup finals will definitely confirm which of the two living popes is more favored by the Almighty.

Since the final match is scheduled on a Sunday when Catholics go to church to attend mass, will the Catholic faithful pray for their favorite team? Which prayer petition will be answered: pro Germany or pro Argentina?

There is so much tension in the Vatican right now.

 

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IS POPE FRANCIS SET TO EXCOMMUNICATE THOSE INDICTED IN THE PHILIPPINES’ PORK BARREL SCAM?

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Rome, Italy (The Adobo Chronicles) – Pope Francis had harsh words for the Italian Mafia on Saturday, describing one crime syndicate as “the adoration of evil” and saying all mafiosi “are excommunicated” from the church. His condemnation was the strongest attack on the mob since Pope John Paul criticized the Sicilian Mafia in 1993.

Pope Francis made the remarks after visiting a stronghold of the ‘Ndrangheta, one of Italy’s most dangerous crime groups. There he comforted the jailed father of a 3-year-old boy killed in a mob ambush and condemned mob violence against children.

Vatican insiders have also hinted that the Pope is set to excommunicate notorious Filipino Catholics, notably those who were recently indicted for plunder, graft and corruption and other charges in connection with the 10 Billion Peso pork barrel scam in the Philippines.  Among those indicted were Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Bong Revilla, Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada, along with alleged scam mastermind businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.  As of this writing, Napoles, Revilla and Estrada have been arrested and jailed.

Napoles and the three senators are known to be devout Catholics.

Prior to being arrested and jailed, Napoles used to have the statue of the ‘miraculous’ Black Nazarene transferred from Manila’s Quiapo Catholic Church to her private residence on many occasions.

bong
Revilla

Just moments before he surrendered, Revilla wore a t-shirt that said “The Lord is on my side; I willl not fear; what can man do unto me?” Before his indictment, he and his family went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Enrile was Justice Secretary and then Defense Minister under the regime of Ferdinand E. Marcos.  Aligning himself with the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, Enrile became on of the leaders of the 1986 People Power Revolution that drove Marcos into exile.

Estrada, on the other hand, resisted calls by a member of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) that he apologize for betraying the people’s trust.

It wasn’t clear whether the impending excommunication would be based on the  Second Commandment (‘Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord they God in vain’); the Sixth Commandment (‘Thou shalt not steal’)  or the Tenth Commandment (‘Thou shalt not covet they neighbor’s goods).

Perhaps, all three? And, maybe a fourth for Enrile, a known womanizer — the Ninth Commandment (‘Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife’).