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Brazilian Indigenous Rights During Synod on Amazon & Situation in Northeastern Syria
On this week’s episode of Just Love, Monsignor Kevin Sullivan talks about the Synod on the Amazon and the church in Syria. Cecilia Iorio is a Program Manager for the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)– the official aid agency of the Catholic Church of England and Wales. Cecilia shares with us about some of the work of CAFOD in her home country of Brazil, and particularly its work in the Amazon region of Brazil (which makes up approximately 40% of Brazil’s total land area). She talks to us about working with local tribes in that region to support indigenous rights, including environmental and land rights which is one of…
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Pope Francis Announces Big Synod Meeting on Families in 2014: Broad Transparent Agenda & Grassroots Input
Why all the “buzz” about this two-phase synod meeting beginning in 2014 on the challenges facing families? (FYI – Synod is a fancy word for a meeting of Bishops and experts around the world called by the Pope to consider an important issue.) Frankly, there are usually pretty boring and tedious – even when substantive. I have a couple of thoughts why this Synod on the family should be different: Putting questions on-line and inviting “survey-monkey” responses by anyone with internet access is new for synod meetings. It demonstrates transparency that many would claim is uncharacteristic of the Catholic Church. Everyone can see that the agenda is not ostrich-like. Major hot-button and important issues are covered. Same-sex marriage and…