Video shows Islamic extremist threatening to sell abducted Nigerian schoolgirls | Fox News

The following excerpts are from Fox News:

• An Islamic extremist leader has threatened to sell the 276 teenage girls his terror group abducted from a school in northeast Nigeria three weeks ago.
• In a videotape screened by the Associated Press Monday, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau claimed responsibility for the April 15 kidnappings for the first time. He also threatened to attack more schools and take additional girls.
• "I abducted your girls," said the leader of Boko Haram, which means "Western education is sinful."
• He described the girls as "slaves" and said "By Allah, I will sell them in the marketplace." The hour-long video starts with fighters lofting automatic rifles and shooting in the air as they chant "Allahu akbar!" or "God is great."

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Video shows Islamic extremist threatening to sell abducted Nigerian schoolgirls | Fox News

Psst...Mother's Day Is Sneakin' Up On Ya!

Just in case you forgot (you didn't forget, did you?), Mother's Day falls on Sunday, May 11.

That's right. It's the time of year we all try to thank mom for giving us life....for sitting up with us when we were sick....bandaging those skinned knees....for being our chauffeur....for being our confidant....for straightening us out when we got out of line.

So, to help you show mom how much you appreciate her, you can give her something from Mystic Monk Coffee.

For instance, there is the Aurora Tea Gift Set. It come with Aurora Blend White Tea, Mystic Monk Blend Tea, and a stylish tea mug, all packed in a neat little pink basket (which mom can use for other things later).

If your mom loves flavored coffees, then the Amaretto flavored coffee may be just the ticket. The good monks have this to say about the Amaretto flavor:

“Smooth and flavorful, our Amaretto flavor is full of almond nuttiness, and is especially good when made with cream and sugar.”

Amaretto is available in regular ground, whole bean regular, and in ground decaf.

If you can't decide what your mom would like from Mystic Monk Coffee, then give her something she will love. Give her a gift card from Mystic Monk Coffee. They are available in $15, $25, $50, $75, and $100. Then you can be sure that your mom gets exactly what she wants!

We can't ever pay our mom's back really. There is not enough time for us to really show her what she means. We need to try and show mom what she means to us while she's here. My mom is gone, but never a day passes without my thinking of her and missing her. I know she is in a far better place than we are, but I still wish she was here.

I know my mom would have loved getting Mystic Monk Coffee, because if ever there was a coffee fan, she was one. And she would have really liked knowing, that the purchase of Mystic Monk Coffee, helps to support the monastery of The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming.

Maltese bishop opposes 'melting' bodies as alternative to creation : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

The following excerpts are from Catholic World News:

• In Malta, Bishop Charles Scicluna has voiced his opposition to a proposal to “melt” human corpses, as an alternative to burial or cremation.
• “I don’t think that this is in line with the Church’s views on respecting the body,” said Bishop Scicluna, an auxiliary of the Malta diocese. He said that he would consult with others, noting that his opinion was not a formal ruling of the Church.
• The proposal under discussion would use a chemical process to remove tissue from human bones....

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Maltese bishop opposes 'melting' bodies as alternative to creation : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions For May 2014

Vatican City, 30 April 2014 (VIS) – Pope Francis' universal prayer intention for May is: “That the media may be instruments in the service of truth and peace”.

His intention for evangelisation is: “That Mary, Star of Evangelisation, may guide the Church in proclaiming Christ to all nations”.

You can find more information at: www.visnews.org

The news items contained in the Vatican Information Service may be used, in part or in their entirety, by quoting the source:

V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.

Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

From The Dignitatis Humanae Institute: The abandoned Christians of Wenzhou: the Chinese Government steps up the intimidation

Note:The following is a press release from The Dignitatis Humanae Institute

Rome, 28 April 2014

Thousands of Chinese Christians have united in the city of Wenzhou to form a 24-hour human shield around the Sanjiang Christian Church, amidst threats from the Communist authorities to demolish the building. The three-story Church is one of ten places of worship to have been listed for demolition in the Zhejiang province, considered China's most Christian region. This is the second time in two weeks the Christians of Zhejiang have flocked to protect their Church from the machinations of the local Communist party.

Though attempts to close down Christian Churches are nothing new in China, the Sanjiang Church stands as an officially-sanctioned place of worship by the Communist government, and is, in theory, entitled to the legal protection of Article 36 of the Chinese constitution:

"Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief. No state organ, public organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion. The state protects normal religious activities."

In spite of a mounting campaign of intimidation and suppression, China's thriving Christian community is growing at an exuberant rate, with research from the University of Purdue foreseeing an estimated 247 million Christians living in China by 2030. Under the rule of Mao Zedong, China was declared an atheist state, and a campaign of violence was waged against the mere one million Christians that then lived in China. When the Cultural Revolution was brought to an end in 1976, a degree of tolerance began to take form. Nevertheless, heavy restrictions remain on Christian worship. Only the state-approved, state-monitored, state-restricted 'Three Self Patriotic Movement' is considered a legal form of Christianity, with non-conformist congregations and underground 'house Churches' subjected to brutal recriminations.

Speaking in support of the Christians defending Sanjiang Church, Luca Volontè, Chairman of the Dignitatis Humanae Institute said:

"All the lessons of history demonstrate to China the futility of forcing Christians to choose between faith and country. The Christian awakening of millions of Chinese citizens is not a form of political process but rather the peaceful desire to learn and to worship Our Lord. After bold statements from Western leaders - including David Cameron and Angela Merkel - on the duty to defend Christians from persecution, the international community cannot abandon the Christians of Whenzou to this very public campaign of coercion and suppression."

The Dignitatis Humanae Instituteaims to uphold human dignity based on the anthropological truth that man is born in the image and likeness of God and therefore has an innate human dignity of infinite worth to be upheld. The Institute promotes this understanding by supporting Christians in public life, assisting them to present effective and coherent responses to increasing efforts to silence the Christian voice in the public square.