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London Band To Sing at World Youth Day 2013

admin — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:29:12 +0000

February 22, 2013 / MariaNews.com

[Letters to the Editor]

LONDON BAND CHOSEN TO SING ENGLISH ANTHEM @ LARGEST GLOBAL YOUTH FESTIVAL

WYDRio2013

London, UK : London pop band Ooberfuse has been chosen to sing and record in English the official youth anthem of World Youth Day 2013. Over 3 million people are expected at the largest gathering of youth from around world in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, later this year. Hope of the Dawn was launched today at the World Youth Day’s official website:

http://www.rio2013.com/pt/multimidia/videos/1727/WYD-Rio2013-English-Anthem

Hope of the Dawn is the official English version of the World Youth Day anthem for 2013, Esperanca do Amanhecer. The organizers of World Youth Day asked Ooberfuse to translate the song from Portuguese to English and also give their own interpretation of the anthem.

Cherrie, front-woman of the band said that it will be a great privilege to sing the official World Youth Day English anthem. “Translating the song from Portuguese to English was a daunting task as we are not fluent in Portuguese,” she said, “in the first verse, the imagery of Christ, arms outstretched, embracing the world and filling it with his love from the hill-top of Rio’s high-point Corcovado, is breathtaking.”

Living in London where most people are reticent to loudly proclaim their Christian faith and landmarks testify to worldly achievements it is reassuring to know that in other countries like Brazil they are not shy to express their Christian convictions. “I can’t wait to stand in the shadow cast by the enormous figure of Christ on the top of Corcovado!” said Cherrie.

Hal, the band’s keyboardist, said that “we have been reflecting on Matthew 28 since the Holy Father announced at the close of the Madrid World Youth Day in 2011 that the theme of RioWYD13 would be ‘Go make disciples of all nations.’ According to Matthew these are the very last words that Jesus spoke to his followers and disciples. Their utterance is prefigured by cosmic events : following his crucifixion the earth quaked as Jesus, in his post-resurrection glorified body, reappears to announce his commission…we must awaken from our slumbers to go out into the world to bring good news to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to set captives free, to give sight to the blind. In short to realise the anthropological dream implanted in the hearts of all of us so that, through our combined efforts, we become who we were created to be. It is one thing to allow our faith to infiltrate our songs; it is altogether a different proposition to take Jesus’ final words and to reflect in musical melody the weightiness of their meaning.”

Nico, guitarist for the band added “It’s as much a tribute to a trans-Atlantic spirit of collaboration as it is to the power of the internet and modern media : after multiple Twitter and e-mail messages recommending improvements and refinements, and numerous large music-data file downloads and uploads in Rio and London, Hope of the Dawneventually was born. We hope that listeners will like it, especially all the English speaking pilgrims!”

Phil Ross, the London-based national coordinator for the UK World Youth Day pilgrims, says: “Ooberfuse worked closely with the World Youth Day organisers to produce the English anthem – whilst it remains loyal to the Portuguese original it still reflects the style and ambience of the Group.”

Father Leandro Lenin, Executive Director of World Youth Day Rio 2013, and International Relations Officer Thiago Lopes said of the groups accomplishment – “Congratulations on the great job… We think it’s awesome. You’re really praising the Lord with your voices and efforts!”

You can watch the video here: http://youtu.be/p6HzhQIkXQ8

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Headlines from Apollo – Youth Help Elderly in Lourdes, Chinese Bishop gets the Boot, Techno Catholic Music

admin — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 22:59:34 +0000

July 11, 2012 / MariaNews.com

Headlines from Apollo

1. Good deeds:

UNITED KINGDOM – Fifty young people from St Helens took part in a visit to Lourdes. A church spokesman said: “They have been fundraising, having practical preparation and learning about the needs of the elderly, disabled and vulnerable.

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2. The Vatican declares Chinese Bishop of Harbin is Excommunicated

The Holy See has declared that Father Joseph Yue Fusheng, who was ordained bishop without the Pope’s approval on July 6, has incurred excommunication and therefore has no authority to govern the Catholic community or priests in Heilongjiang province, north-eastern China. It announced this in a statement released by the Vatican press office on July 10.

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3. New Catholic Music In Brazil

A “Christoteque” for the evangelization of young people. Techno and house music, hip hop and dance spun by the best Catholic DJs who will “evangelize the night away.” It is an initiative of the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro’s pastoral programme for evangelisation by night, aimed at helping young people have fun in a healthy way and at the same time prepare for the international World Youth Day which will be held in the Brazilian city between 23 and 28 July 2013.

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REPORT: Pope Benedict tired, but still working hard

admin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:34:34 +0000

Pope Benedict tired, but still working hard

Monday, December 19, 2011 9:16 PM | (Catholic Online)

Those closest to Pope Benedict XVI have observed that he is showing the signs of aging. The Holy Father is 84 years old, and will turn 85 on April 16. The demands and the rigors of the job with an Emperor’s responsibility, would be a herculean task for even a young man. But motivated by Spirit and responsibility, Benedict continues to keep a busy schedule.

VATICAN CITY (Catholic Online) – Nobody is surprised to see Benedict slow down. Perhaps one of the most recent and evident signs of his age was the installation of a moving platform in St. Peter’s that transports the Pope to and from the main altar. It is natural then, for his followers to inquire about his condition.

By all indications, the 84-year-old Holy Father is in excellent health. He has not recently taken any sick days, and although he has pared down some of his activities, he continues to keep a schedule that would make a veteran jet setting executive sweat. This appears to many as a minor miracle in itself.

In November, Benedict visited West Africa on a three-day trip during which he braved 90+ degree temperatures and high humidity to meet with dignitaries and address the faithful. By all accounts, he was lively and in top form. But those closest to him, explain that the Holy Father was exhausted by the visit.

Observers have reported that the Holy Father does not elaborate off-the-cuff as much as he used to, and that on some days he appears just plain tired.

Rabbi David Rosen, head of interfaith relations at the American Jewish Committee stated recently “Indeed I was struck by what appeared to me as the decline in Benedict’s strength and health over the last half year. He looks thinner and weaker… which made the effort he put into the Assisi shindig with the extraordinary degree of personal attention to the attendees (especially the next day in Rome) all the more remarkable.”

In the book “Light of the World,” released November 2010, Benedict made a statement which piqued the interest of followers. In the book he said, ” If a pope clearly realizes that he is no longer physically, psychologically and spiritually capable of handling the duties of his office, then he has a right, and under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign.”

Observers speculate that Benedict may have taken this view as he worked closely with Pope John Paul II, and witnessed John Paul’s declining health at the end of his papacy.

However, the notion of a pope resigning is anathema to many Catholics. The last time a pope resigned was in 1415, and the resignation helped to end the Great Western Schism, a period in which popes and anti-popes ruled opposing halves of Europe.

If Benedict were to step down, even willingly and consciously, it could raise the possibility of instability and division within the normally unified church. It could also set a precedent that future popes might be more likely to follow, resigning at the first hint of trouble.

Benedict made clear that one should not resign in the face of adversity. In the same book he said, “One can resign at a peaceful moment or when one simply cannot go on. But one must not run away from danger and say that someone else should do it.”

In light of these views, it is unlikely that the Holy Father will step down anytime soon. But it is understood that he is aging normally and fatiguing more easily. The good news is, he appears possessed of the supernatural ability to keep moving and guiding the flock.

Benedict has scheduled visits to Cuba and Mexico for early 2012, and is already planning to visit Rio de Janeiro in 2013 for the next World Youth Day.

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