In brief
Cuba: Fidel Castro invites the pope.
On October 14,on his return from Havana, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, archbishop of Genoa, told the Italian daily La Stampa that Fidel Castro had asked for the support of the Catholic Church in the fight against the "plague of abortion in Cuba". The many abortions are "also the consequence of sexual tourism. It is only natural that Castro cares about it and I am concerned about the behavior of some Italians abroad", explained the cardinal. The Salesians, who work with the young, and the Sant’Egidio communities could help in this endeavor, he added. He also said that there was no longer any numerus clausus in the seminaries, that priestly ordinations were free, and there was freedom to practice. The archbishop of Genoa gave his blessing to the Cuban people and to Fidel Castro who "received it silently".
India: Christians fear concerted attacks.
During the night of Sunday October 16 to Monday 17, the residence of Mgr Vincent Samuel, bishop of Neyyatinkara, in the State of Kerala in India, was attacked by four men who injured the watchman, set fire to three cars and damaged part of the bishop’s palace. The press agency Fides added that the local Catholic Church was in a state of alert and declared that "in the light of these latest events, it was no longer a matter of isolated cases. These attacks seem to be part of a well thought-out plan of aggression against Christians". The Hindu groups Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Rashtiya Swayamsevak Sang could be the instigators of those raids.
It was in the state of Kerala, which has the largest Christian community in India, that the murder of Father Job Chittilappill in August 2004 and the attack against four Sisters of Mother Teresa, happened.
United States: a new ambassador with the Holy See
On October 23, Laurence Francis Rooney, the new United States ambassador to the Holy See, took up office in Rome. His appointment on July 29, 2005, by the White House was approved by the American Senate on October 7 last. Francis Rooney, an active Catholic, who is married and a father of three, runs the Rooney investment business which helped to finance the election campaign of George W. Bush.
