– Joaquim Magalhães de Castro

The presence of European mercenaries among the hosts of the Asian armies has a long history. Already at the time of Vasco da Gama’s historic voyage to India in 1498, the existence of Italian military officers at the service of several rajas of the coast of Malabar was noted. It is said that two of the crew of the Gama fleet, attracted by more appetizing salaries, ended up following the example of the Italians. It may be said that the European mercenary tradition in Hindustan, which would be perpetuated over three centuries, will have begun with the desertions of Portuguese soldiers of Goa – usually underpaid, sometimes having to resort to foreign aid to survive – attracted by the prospects of a loose life elsewhere on the continent where polygamy and concubinage were not condemned.

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– Aurelio Porfiri

Not long ago, I came across a book in French by Belgian Professor André Wénin. The book is called Psaumes censurés : Quand la prière a des accents violents (2017 Editions du Cerf, now available also in Italian) and deal with the problem of the so called “imprecatory psalms,” those psalms that contain very strong (or violent) language and that in recent times were removed from the liturgy. Professor Wénin has a long list of publications, he is professor of biblical exegesis at the theological faculty of the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium) and visiting professor at the Gregorian University (Rome).

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PHOTO: meineresterampe at Pixabay

– Fausto Gomez OP

With many others, I am against what is called being “politically correct,” against fake news, against post-truth. In two pieces, I wish to reflect first on the invasion of “fake news” today and how to face it in the perspective of Christian faith. The second piece is on the truth that will make us free and happy – free to love.

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– Tej Francis

IRELAND

POPE FRANCIS APOLOGIZES FOR ‘CRIMES’ OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN IRELAND

(CBC News) Pope Francis issued a sweeping apology Sunday for the “crimes” of the Catholic Church in Ireland, saying church officials regularly didn’t respond with compassion to the many abuses children and women suffered over the years.

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– José Maria C.S. André

At many points during his pastoral visit to Ireland to attend the World Meeting of Families, instead of reading a speech, Francis answered questions from families. In this way, the message focused on specific themes.

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– Barbara Castelli

(Vatican News) At the Mass at Casa Santa Marta on Tuesday, Pope Francis said that in the heart of each person “the spirit of the world” and the “Spirit of God” confront one another every day.

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– Joaquim Magalhães de Castro

Looking around the area adjacent to the temple, it is difficult to imagine anything resembling the magnificent palace described by Estevão Cacela when he speaks of the official reception to which the Portuguese were entitled: “To speak to the king of Liquinirane we pass three great patios, which had wide balconies full of people, which everywhere would seem very bright. From one to the other there were large doors and very strong ones that are always closed with porters and many guards. A great and beautiful garden followed, in the middle of it there was a well-decorated pleasure house where the king was waiting for us.”

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– Aurelio Porfiri 

Concerning the evangelization of China, many people talk about the role of the Jesuits but not so many talk of the role of the Franciscans. Do you think this is accurate? 

The Franciscans had missionaries in China long before the Jesuits. One of them, the Neapolitan John of Montecorvino was appointed archbishop of Beijing by Pope Clement V in 1307. China was then run by the Mongol dynasty Yuan. Before 1950, the Franciscans from various countries were in charge of 25 dioceses in China.

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An Italian shrine to Our Lady of Caravaggio near Milan is said to have its origin in 1432, when the Mother of God is reported to have appeared in a vision to a sick peasant woman and pointed out to her a healing stream, where the woman was cured and many other miracles and cures were witnessed. The present church is due to the initiative of Saint Charles Borromeo; it is approached through an arch on which stand statues of Mary and the woman she helped at the origin of the shrine. There are three main pilgrimages to the present shrine each year.

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– Tej Francis

VATICAN CITY

POPE FRANCIS PRAYS FOR JAPAN AMID DEADLY FLOODING

(CNA/EWTN News) Pope Francis sent his prayers and condolences to Japan Monday following the death of at least 119 people in some of the worst flooding and landslides the country has seen in decades. Heavy rains and flooding began July 5, and have primarily affected the Hiroshima prefecture.

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