From the UK... 

Fr. Paddy at the computer

Greetings during this Lenten season! Just before Lent began, Michael and Paddy headed down to Bromley (south London) to begin a new programme. We are helping the Bromley Deanery with forming youth ministry teams for their parishes. It was a great weekend and the feedback has been very positive. They are working on their web site, so maybe next time we'll have the link! With the season of Lent upon us we have been busy with school chaplaincy work and reflections for the Special Needs Schools we are involved in.

The Xaverian Community in the UK is looking forward to our regional Chapter. This will take place in Easter Week, so we ask that you keep us in your prayers during this special time!

~ Fr. Patrick (Paddy) Duffy SX

siLENT Challenge

Catholic youth charity Million Minutes this week announced the awarding of a number of grants to youth projects around the UK. Grants were awarded to groups of young people in schools and parishes who had shown their commitment to putting Catholic social teaching into practice to help to improve their world.

Lent-a time for Almsgiving (Joan Chittister)

What kind of giving explains the difference between real giving and public posturing, between calling attention to yourself as "holy" and the almsgiving that Jesus spoke about when he said "do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing?" Read more.

Fast for Families

The traditional Lenten practice of fasting took a non-traditional twist this year drawing attention to immigration reform involving Catholic university and college presidents. Learn more. And still more.

At Border Mass, Bishops Call for Compassion, Immigration Reform 

Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., blesses people on the Mexican side of the border as he distributes Communion through the border fence in Nogales, Ariz.

 

The message communicated here was unmistakable: borders cannot block the love of Jesus Christ! With the backdrop a few feet away of the rusted iron slats of the 30-foot wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley and a dozen other bishops from three countries prayed Tuesday for compassion and for a return to ideals that welcome immigrants. Discover more.

Scottish Church gets set for the Commonwealth Games

The Scottish Church is backing the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer. The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will be the biggest multi-sports event that Scotland has ever hosted, more than 6000 athletes and officials from 71 countries to the city to compete in 17 different sports in 13 venues over 11 days from July 23 to August 3. Discover more.  

#+Francis 

Pope Francis on Tuesday effectively fired a German bishop who had attracted controversy for extraordinary expenses on a new diocesan center, sending a signal that he is willing to oust bishops who do not align with his vision of a "poor church for the poor." Learn more.

Who's that approaching the confessional and kneeling? Pope Francis receives Sacrament of Reconciliation in public. Read more. 

News from "the GYM": EAD

 

Guided by the image of Jesus weeping over a capital city that turned from the true way of peace (Luke 19:41-42), the 12th annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days exposed the violence that pervades our culture and world recognizing that.....

• Nearly 3,000 children in the U.S. killed by guns each year;
• A quarter of U.S. women experiencing domestic abuse at some point in their lives;
• A decade of war, nearly 1,000 civilians killed by drones, and Pentagon spending dominating our federal budget over poverty protections, healthy job creation, economic revitalization and true international human security;
• More than 45 million people worldwide uprooted from their homes by persecution and armed conflict; and
• Deadly conflicts over natural resources erupting around the world.

Fr. Rocco Puopolo SX attended this year's EAD and plans to find a way through the GYM to bring a number of youths to the event next year which will be April 17-20, 2015. Be on the look out for more information. 

Download Fr. Rocco's write-up here.  

The Pope and the POTUS 

The Vatican Press Office has released a statement on the March 27th meeting between Pope Francis and U.S President Barack Obama. The statement notes that the two leaders discussed "current international themes" and expressed the hope that "in areas of conflict there would be respect for humanitarian and international law and a negotiated solution between the parties involved." Read more. 

 One young blogger writes: 

"This is the second in a series about why I love Pope Francis. As promised, in this column, I will try to explain to my 20-year-old-self why I think this old dude's voice matters." Read more. 

Joy in Enough!

Green Christians have launched a two-year programme to develop a 'Joy in Enough' manifesto. It will rethink how the economy could be restructured to achieve social justice, respect planet Earth's natural limits, and set people free from the obligation to consume beyond their needs. The programme is given a special relevance today, as the UN warns that the impacts of global warming are likely to be "severe, pervasive and irreversible." Learn more.