Pope Francis, on Saturday, addressed the members of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (CSsR), commonly known as Redemptorists, who are gathered in Rome for the 26th General Chapter from 11 September to 7 October.
The four-week session is focused on setting the direction for the Congregation founded by St. Alphonsus de’ Liguori for the next six years and on electing its new governance to oversee its implementation.
In his prepared remarks, Pope Francis extended his greetings to the participants in the Chapter and to the entire Redemptorist Family, acknowledging in particular the new Superior General, Father Rogério Gomes.
Noting that celebrating a General Chapter “is not a canonical formality”, but “living a Pentecost, which has the capacity to make all things new”, Pope Francis highlighted the importance of the themes addressed by the session – that of identity, mission, consecrated life, formation and governance – to “rethink” their Alphonsian charism.
He encouraged Redemptorists “not to be afraid to take new paths and to dialogue with the world”, while keeping their gaze fixed on Jesus “who emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant.”
“I encourage you to dare, having the Gospel and the Magisterium of the Church as the only boundary. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty in the service of the most needy and people who count nothing.”
Conversion of heart and change of structures
Recalling that the focus of their charism is the “willingness” to face any trial to bring Christ’s Redemption to everyone, the Pope insisted on the importance of renewal in the Church and in consecrated life, “to respond with creative fidelity” to His mission .
Renewal, he remarked, requires a process of “conversion of the heart and mind” (metanoia), and at the same time “a change of structures”. This sometimes implies parting from some old traditions and cultural customs – our “old jars”, which can be a “painful” process, but “necessary” if we want to become “missionaries of hope”.
Being missionaries of hope
In this regard, he warned that “those who remain attached to their own certainties risk falling into a sclerosis of the heart, which hinders the action of the Spirit in the human heart.”
“We must not put obstacles to the renewing action of the Spirit, first of all in our hearts and in our lifestyles. Only in this way can we become missionaries of hope!”
Three pillars
As the Redemptorists embark on this process of renewal, Pope Francis also reminded them that “three fundamental pillars must not be forgotten: the centrality of the Mystery of Christ, community life and prayer.”
“The testimony and teachings of St. Alphonsus continually remind you to ‘remain in the love’ of the Lord. Without Him we can do nothing; remaining in Him we bear fruit (cf. Jn 15: 1-9). Abandoning community life and prayer is the door to sterility in consecrated life, the death of the charism and closure towards the brothers. Instead, docility to the Spirit of Christ pushes us to evangelize the poor, according to the announcement of the Redeemer in the synagogue of Nazareth, concretized in the congregation by Saint Alphonsus Maria de ‘Liguori.”
Wrapping up his address, Pope Francis expressed his wish that the newly-elected governing body of the Congregation will show “humbleness, unity, wisdom, and discernment” in leading the Redemptorist Family in these challenging times.
Never forget the poor
While entrusting the Congregation to the protection of the Mother of Perpetual Help, he concluded by praying that the Redemptorist Missionaries may be ”faithful and persevering” in their mission, “never forgetting the poorest and the most neglected” they serve and to whom they announce the Good News of the Redemption.
As of the 2016-2017 season, the NBA player with the highest salary is LeBron James, who is earning $31 million this year. Other high-earning players include Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony. While some may argue that these players are overpaid, there is no doubt that they are among the best in the game and bring in a lot of revenue for their teams.
James has been with the Cavaliers since 2010 and is one of the most popular players in the league. He has led the team to four consecutive Finals appearances and won a championship in 2016. In addition to his salary from the Cavs, James also earns millions from endorsements deals with companies like Nike and Coca-Cola.
Bryant is a Los Angeles Lakers legend and is currently in his final season. He has earned over $300 million in salary during his career, making him one of the richest players in NBA history. Durant signed a new contract with the Golden State Warriors this offseason that will pay him $26.5 million per year. Anthony is a 10-time All-Star who recently signed a five-year, $124 million contract with the New York Knicks.
While these players are certainly among the highest-paid in the NBA, there are a few others who are close behind. Russell Westbrook, Steph Curry, and Chris Paul all have contracts that will pay them over $20 million per year. And, of course, there is always the possibility that a new player could sign a mega-deal that would dwarf the salaries of these current stars. So, while LeBron James may be the highest-paid player in the NBA right now, that could change in the future.
The Most Famous NBA Players
Some of the most famous NBA players include Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James. These players have become global icons and have helped to popularize the sport of basketball around the world. They are all incredibly talented players who have had tremendous success in the NBA.
Michael Jordan is widely considered to be the greatest player of all time . He was an incredible scorer and an outstanding defender. Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA Championships in the 1990s. He was also named the NBA Finals MVP a record six times.
Kobe Bryant is another player who is considered to be one of the greatest of all time. He spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA Championships. Bryant was an outstanding scorer and a tenacious defender. He was named the NBA Finals MVP twice.
Peace and Security – Russia on Friday vetoed a Security Council resolution which described its attempts to unlawfully annex four regions of Ukraine earlier in the day with a formal ceremony in Moscow, as “a threat to international peace and security”, demanding that the decision be immediately and unconditionally reversed.
The draft resolution, circulated by the United States and Albania, was supported by ten of the fifteen members of the Council, with Russia voting against it. Four members abstained, Brazil, China, Gabon and India.
The draft described the so-called referendums held by Russia in the four regions of Ukraine which Moscow now regards as sovereign territory – Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya – as illegal and an attempt to modify Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.
It called on all States, international organisations, and agencies not to recognize the Russian annexation declaration, and called on Russia to “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces” from Ukrainian territory.
Due to Russia’s veto, following a new procedure adopted in the UN General Assembly in April, the Assembly must now meet automatically within ten days for the 193-member body to scrutinize and comment on the vote. Any use of the veto by any of the Council’s five permanent members triggers a meeting.
On Thursday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the annexation plan as a violation of international law, warning that it marked a “dangerous escalation” in the seven-month war that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
“The Charter is clear”, said the UN chief. “Any annexation of a State’s territory by another State resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the Principles of the UN Charter”.
Speaking before the vote, United States Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said that the referendums were a “sham”, predetermined in Moscow, “held behind the barrel of Russian guns.”
UN Photo/Laura Jarriel
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States addresses the UN Security Council meeting on Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.
Defending sacred principles: US
“We all have an interest in defending the sacred principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, in defending peace in our modern world”, she told ambassadors.
“All of us understand the implications for our own borders, our own economies and our own countries, if these principles are tossed aside.
“It’s about our collective security, our collective responsibility to maintain international peace and security…This is what this body is here to do”, she said.
UN Photo/Laura Jarriel
Ambassador Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia of the Russian Federation addresses the UN Security Council meeting on Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.
‘No turning back’: Russia
Responding for Russia, Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya, accused the drafters of the resolution of a “low grade provocation”, to force his country to use its veto.
“Such openly hostile actions on the part of the West, are a refusal to engage and cooperate within the Council, a refusal of practices and experience gained over many years.”
He said there had been “overwhelming” support from residents in the four regions that Russia now claims. “The residents of these regions do not want to return to Ukraine. They have made an informed and free choice, in favour of our country.”
He said that the outcome of the so-called referendums had been recognized by international observers, and now, after being endorsed by the Russian Parliament, and by presidential decrees, “there will be no turning back, as today’s draft resolution would try to impose.”
‘Urgent’ need to address fallout from Nord Stream pipeline leaks
Security Council members stayed in the chamber on Friday afternoon in New York, to discuss this week’s Nord Stream pipeline explosions, which the NATO military alliance and others, believe may be an act of sabotage.
Earlier in the day, President Putin accused the West of being responsible for damaging the Russian-built undersea natural gas pipelines – a charge strongly rejected by the United States and allies.
Briefing ambassadors on the UN’s behalf, the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), said that while the causes of the four leaks were being investigated, “it is equally urgent to address the consequences of these leaks.”
DESA’s Navid Hanif, said the UN was in no position to or confirm any of the reported details relating to the leaks detected on Monday. They Nord Steam 1 and 2 pipelines have been at the centre of the European energy supply crisis stemming from Russia’s February invasion, and neither are in operation pumping gas to European nations at this time.
Mr. Hanif said were three main impacts of the leaks, beginning with increased pressure on global energy markets.
“The incident can exacerbate the high price volatility on the energy markets in Europe and around the world”, he said, adding that the potential harm to the environment was another matter of concern.
Methane danger
The discharge of hundred of millions of cubic metres of gas, “would result in hundreds of thousands of tonnes of methane emissions”, he said, a gas which has “80 times the planet-warming potency of carbon dioxide”.
Finally, he said the pipeline explosions also made “manifestly clear” just how vulnerable critical energy infrastructure is, during such times of global crisis.
He said it showed just how important it was to move to a “clean, resilient, sustainable energy system, while ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for all.”
Finally, he told the Council that any attack on civilian infrastructure is unacceptable, and the incident must not be allowed to further increase tensions amid an escalating war.
This week, Brigham Young University engineers released the results of a unique project they embarked on: making the smallest Book of Mormon ever.
Tiny books of scriptures have been in the works for a while. Fox News reported that there is a Bible that is the size of a grain of sugar. Aaron Hawkins, BYU professor, explained, “Lots of people can do this and lots of people have done this with the Bible. But to our knowledge, no one has ever done it for the Book of Mormon. We realized it was up to BYU to put the Book of Mormon into silicon.”
BYU students Carson Zeller and Ethan Belliston contributed to this project.
The process of making the smallest Book of Mormon was time consuming — they had to “(engrave) the 4-inch diameter wafer with all 291,652 words contained in the book,” and “the students gave it a gold-plated coating”
Zeller told the Deseret News, “For the most part, the project wasn’t too difficult, because the process of etching the silicon and depositing the gold are standard processes used in fabricating computer chips or other devices. The most difficult part was probably getting the text of the Book of Mormon into a format so that we could use it just like any other pattern that would be traditionally used in the fabrication process.”
The engraving involved putting 1,497,482 microscopic characters onto the microchip. Belliston told BYU that this microchip will last forever. He said, “Like Moroni himself, we etched into this wafer so it is physically engraved.”
This project is currently on display at BYU in the Clyde Building.
Church leaders from Belgium received training to ensure safety and security in religious communities. The training was conducted by the Conference of European Churches (CEC) as part of its European Commission-funded project Safer and Stronger Communities in Europe (SASCE).
The event was held on 15 September at the Koekelberg Basilica in Brussels.
CEC Executive Secretary for Human Rights Dr Elizabeta Kitanovic conducted the briefing and training for the participants, sharing more about the SASCE project.
Guidelines for the protection of worship places meant for religious leaders, staff and worshippers were distributed. The materials were in French and Dutch.
“We welcome this very unique project,” said Rev. Steven Fuite, president of the Synod of the United Protestant Church in Belgium. “Through this project churches together with other religious communities get an opportunity to report violations of religious freedom to the European institutions, and other relevant organisations dealing with a hate crime,” he added.
The participants also reflected on the terrorist attacks carried out by the Islamic State in Brussels airport and Maelbeek metro station in 2016, as well as on Jewish Museum in Brussels in 2014.
With an estimated 12 billion workdays lost annually due to depression and anxiety, costing the global economy nearly $1 trillion, more action is needed to tackle mental health issues at work, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Wednesday.
The UN agencies have launched two publications which aim to prevent negative work situations and cultures while also offering mental health protection and support for employees.
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An estimated 12 billion workdays are lost annually due to depression & anxiety, costing the 🌍 economy nearly US$ 1 trillion.@ilo and @WHO call for new measures to tackle mental health issues at work.Check out the 🆕 #MentalHealthAtWork policy brief.👉https://t.co/dsflheoVd7 pic.twitter.com/OKuv5VX7JS International Labour Organization ilo September 28, 2022
“The well-being of the individual is reason enough to act, but poor mental health can also have a debilitating impact on a person’s performance and productivity.”
The WHO guidelines contain actions to tackle risks to mental health at work such as heavy workloads, negative behaviours, and other factors that can create distress.
For the first time, the UN health agency recommends manager training, to build their capacity to prevent stressful work environments and respond to workers’ needs.
A workplace taboo
WHO’s World Mental Health Report, published in June, revealed that of one billion people estimated to be living with a mental disorder in 2019, 15 per cent of working-age adults experienced a mental disorder.
The workplace amplifies wider societal issues that negatively affect mental health, including discrimination and inequality, the agency said.
Bullying and psychological violence, also known as “mobbing,” is a key complaint of workplace harassment that has a negative impact on mental health. However, discussing or disclosing mental health remains a taboo in work settings globally.
The guidelines also recommend better ways to accommodate the needs of workers with mental health conditions and proposes interventions that support their return to work.
Increasing opportunities
They also outline measures to ease entry into the jobs market, for those workers with severe mental health conditions.
Importantly, the guidelines call for interventions for the protection of health, humanitarian, and emergency workers.
A separate policy brief with ILO explains the WHO guidelines in terms of practical strategies for governments, employers and workers, and their organizations, in both the public and private sectors.
The objective is to support the prevention of mental health risks, protect and promote mental health at work, and support those with mental health conditions, so they can participate and thrive at work.
“As people spend a large proportion of their lives in work – a safe and healthy working environment is critical,” said, Guy Ryder, the ILO Director-General.
“We need to invest to build a culture of prevention around mental health at work, reshape the work environment to stop stigma and social exclusion, and ensure employees with mental health conditions feel protected and supported.”
ILO’s Convention on occupational safety and health, and a related recommendation, provide legal frameworks to safeguard workers.
Lack of national programmes
However, only 35 per cent of countries reported having national programmes for work-related mental health promotion and prevention.
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a 25 per cent increase in general anxiety and depression worldwide, according to a WHO study published in March.
The crisis exposed how unprepared governments were for its impact on mental health, as well as a chronic global shortage of mental health resources.
In 2020, governments worldwide spent an average of just two per cent of health budgets on mental health, with lower-middle income countries allocating less than one per cent.
The share of electric vehicleregistrations tripled from 3.5% in 2019 to 11.6% in 2020 (including 6.2% full electric vehicles and 5.4% plug-in hybrid electric vehicles). Despite the shrinking overall market for new cars due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the total number of new electric cars registered in 2020 increased to over 1 million.
About 1.4 million new vans were registered in Europe in 2020 with average emissions 1.9 % lower than in 2019. The share of electric vans increased from 1.4% in 2019 to 2.3% in 2020.
The CO2 emissions of new light-duty vehicles are tested according to the ‘type approval’ procedures. Since 2017, the more realistic Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) is in place, gradually replacing the outdated New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).
EEA activities
The EEA collects and regularly makes available data on new passenger cars and vans registered in Europe, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/631. The data, including information on CO2 emissions and vehicle mass, are reported by all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (until 2020), Iceland (since 1 January 2018) and Norway (since 1 January 2019) in order to evaluate the CO2 emission performance of the new vehicle fleet.
Compliance with targets
The European Commission will confirm whether individual manufacturers or pools have met their own specific annual targets, which are based on the average mass of the vehicles registered.
According to the EEA briefing, even if the noise reduction measures currently available to local authorities are implemented to a high level, this would only reduce the number of people highly annoyed by transport noise by about 19% by 2030. Some examples of measures included in this optimistic scenario include reduction of speed limits on urban roads, a 50% electrification of road vehicle fleet, maintenance and rail grinding, quieter aircrafts and aircraft night curfews. The scenarios do not consider legislative or regulatory changes at EU level as such changes would require considerable amount of time to develop and implement.
The less ambitious scenario considers a more modest set of measures such as the compliance with the current EU noise regulation for motor vehicles, a 25% electrification of the road vehicle fleet, and improved landing and take-off procedures for aircrafts, amongst others. This scenario predicts that the number of people affected by noise would increase by 3%, mainly due to a projected increase in road, rail and air transport.
To achieve greater progress in reducing noise pollution, more efforts are needed to address noise from road transport, the EEA briefing states. To reach the zero pollution action plan target, measures would need to target not only areas with acute noise problems, but also areas where noise levels are more moderate. A combination of measures including, new or stricter noise regulations for road transport, better urban and transport planning as well as significant reductions in road traffic in cities could pave the way to reach the target.
Of the multitude of historic and popular houses of worship in India, one stands out among the most visited sacred sites on Earth: The Lotus Temple of Bahá’í Faith.
Delhi, capital of India, second most populous city in the world and growing nearly three percent annually, is home to dozens of churches, temples and mosques. Of the multitude of historic and popular houses of worship in the region, one stands out among the most visited sacred sites on Earth: The Lotus Temple of Bahá’í Faith.
The Lotus Temple, also known as Kamal Mandir or Lotus of Bahapur, is visited by 4.5 million a year, even more than the Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel where the remains of the herald of the religion is buried. The temple was opened in 1986 and had already seen 100 millions visitors before its 30th year.
The temple’s 26 acres are covered by lush flora, and surrounded by nine blue reflecting pools and red sandstone walkways leading to the nine entrances. The temple itself consists of three rings, each ring with nine petals made of white marble forming the iconic image of the lotus flower in bloom floating in water. A prayer hall within the temple holds 2,500 and is sunlit through the glass roof at the center of the flower. Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India
A Bahá’í temple is called a mashriq al-adhkār in Arabic, which means “place where the uttering of the name of God arises at dawn.” Its unique construction has nine sides and nine doors. Bahá’í beliefs assign great importance to the number nine as explained by Shoghi Effendi, grandson and successor of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá, appointed to the role of Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957. “First, it symbolizes the nine great world religions of which we have any definite historical knowledge, including the Babi and Bahá’í Revelations; second, it represents the number of perfection, being the highest single number; third, it is the numerical value of the word ‘Bahá’.”
‘Abdu’l-Bahá—eldest son of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the religion—said, “When the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár is accomplished, when the lights are emanating therefrom, the righteous ones are presenting themselves therein, the prayers are performed with supplication towards the mysterious Kingdom, the voice of glorification is raised to the Lord, the Supreme, then the believers shall rejoice, the hearts shall be dilated and overflow with the love of the All-living and Self-existent God. The people shall hasten to worship in that heavenly Temple, the fragrances of God will be elevated, the divine teachings will be established in the hearts like the establishment of the Spirit in mankind; the people will then stand firm in the Cause of your Lord, the Merciful. Praise and greetings be upon you.”
The architect of the Lotus Temple, Fariborz Sahba, was chosen by the Universal House of Justice in 1976 to design and build a temple on the Indian subcontinent. He had previously worked on the design of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, and later returned to design the terraces of the Shrine of the Báb.
Delegates of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union will hold the Autumn COMECE Plenary Assembly in Brussels on 12-14 October 2022 for an in-depth discussion on the socio-economic and geopolitical implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with a particular emphasis on the energy crisis.
The event will feature a dialogue meeting with Klaus Welle, Secretary-General of the European Parliament, an exchange with Pascal Lamy, former Director General of the World Trade Organisation and Coordinator of the Jacques Delors think tanks network, and Philip McDonagh, Director of the Centre for Religion, Human Values, and International Relations at the Dublin City University.
In the current context of the Russian military aggression on Ukraine, the EU Bishops will analyse the diverse implications of the war, shaping future COMECE contributions to EU policies promoting peace and justice in Europe and the world.
The Assembly will be an occasion for EU Episcopates Delegates to exchange on the current energy crisis, in particular on its socio-economic, geopolitical, and ecological dimensions. The attention of the EU Bishops will turn to the condition of the many refugees who have fled from their own country because of the conflict and to the most economically vulnerable people who find it difficult to meet their basic needs due to the rising energy and commodities prices.
Media The COMECE Plenary Assembly is a closed-door event. Journalists and media operators interested in covering the event or interviewing Bishops are strongly encouraged to contact the Press Office of COMECE.
Mass for Europe The programme also includes a Mass for Europe, to be celebrated at the Church of Notre-Dame des Victoires au Sablon, Place du Grand Sablon, Brussels, on Wednesday 12 October 2021 at 19:00 (CET). The Mass will be concelebrated by the Bishop Delegates of the Episcopates of the 27 EU Member States. It is a public event and does not require registration.
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