Missionaries of the World

“Nothing is lost with peace. Everything can be lost with war,” Pope Francis told members of the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences repeating the phrase first used by Pope Pius XII in 1939. The Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences, established by Pope Pius XII in 1954, promotes the development of the historical sciences through international cooperation. It continues the work of the Commission of Cardinals for Historical Studies, founded in 1883 by Pope Leo XIII.

Palm Sunday, which is the 6th Sunday of Lent, marks the official beginning of Holy Week during which Christians recall the passion and death of Christ. Palm Sunday Mass is celebrated by the Pope Francis in Saint Peter’s Square. The celebration begins with a procession followed by the blessing of palms – or olive branches, which are used in Italy – symbolizing Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem during which palm branches were laid at his feet.

Christians prepared to celebrate the Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter as part of Holy Week, the week of events leading up to Jesus' death. The most important week in the Christians begins on this Sunday and the churches will combine efforts for Palm Sunday. It is one of the most important days in the Christians after Christmas and Easter. On Palm Sunday, Christians celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, the week before his death and rebirth. For many Christian churches, Palm Sunday, often referred to as "Passion Sunday."

The World Council of Churches has planned to organise a workshop on “ecumenical pilgrimage of justice and peace” between June 09, 2014 and June 13, 2014 at the WCC's Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland. It will provide a space for dialogue on how men and women can contribute towards building peaceful communities. It will add to the efforts of women contributing towards an “ecumenical pilgrimage of justice and peace” consistent with a call from the WCC 10th Assembly in 2013.

The relationship between Christianity and the Cross and our own sins was the focus of Pope Francis’s reflections at his Mass on Tuesday April 08, 2014 in the Santa Marta residence. The Pope said Christianity does not exist without the Cross and stressed that we are unable to free ourselves from our sins on our own. He said the Cross is not an ornament to place on the altar but is the mystery of God’s love who takes our sins upon himself. He then highlighted how Christianity does not exist without the Cross, because we are not able to free ourselves from sin on our own.

India began its poll exercise for the General Election 2014 (Lok Sabha) in nine phases from April 07, 2014. It would last until May 12 to elect 543 members of parliament to constitute the 16th Lok Sabha. The election results will be declared four days later. The main contest is between the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Third Front. However, the main competition will be between Indian National Congress led by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Bharatiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance.

A Pakistani Christian who has been convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to death for blasphemy appealed against his conviction Tuesday, saying the charges were trumped up to speed the eviction of minority Christians from their land. Sawan Masih was convicted last week of insulting the Prophet Mohammed during a conversation with a Muslim friend in the Joseph Colony neighbourhood of Lahore in March last year. "We have filed an appeal in the Lahore High Court against the death sentence awarded to Sawan Masih and called for his acquittal and release from jail," his lawyer Naeem Shakir told.

Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis, Major Archbishop of Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and President of Catholic Bishops' Conference of India stressed Church’s Commitment to Serve, Accelerate Restructuring Process during the felicitation function held at New Delhi. The Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis and two Vice Presidents Archbishop Andrews Thazhath and Archbishop Filipe Neri Feraao, and Secretary General Archbishop Albert D’Souza were welcomed and felicitated by the CBCI Centre, New Delhi and the Staff of Caritas India at the CBCI Centre, New Delhi on April 03, 2014.

This morning the Holy Father Francis received in audience Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, during which he extended the liturgical cult of the following blessed to the universal Church, inscribing them in the book of Saints: Francois de Laval, French bishop of Quebec, Canada (1623-1708), Jose de Anchieta, Spanish priest of the Society of Jesus (1534-1597), María de la Encarnación (nee Marie Guyart), French (1599-1672). He also authorised the Congregation to promulgate the decrees concerning the following causes: