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UP FRONTThursday 11 February 2016
Pope on Ash Wednesday: charity’s not to please ourselves
FRANCES D’EMILIO a good time “to train our- Pope Francis speaks as he leads the Ash Wednesday mass, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican,
Associated Press selves to be more sensitive Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016. The Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a solemn period of
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope and merciful” to others. He 40 days of prayer and self-denial leading up to Easter.
Francis rubbed ashes on added that Lent presents
the bowed heads of prel- the occasion to practice (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
ates, nuns and ordinary simplicity and sharing.
Catholics Wednesday, The pope has proclaimed runs through Nov. 20. diocesan bishops or Vati- cis announced that, during
and had them smudged this year as a Holy Year of This select corps of confes- can officials. Among those the Holy Year, he is allow-
on his own head, too, to Mercy. He says people are sors received special per- sins are profaning a con- ing all rank-and-file priests
usher in the Lenten season hurt by the “evil they com- mission from the pope to secrated host or violating to grant such absolution
of prayer and sacrifice he mit and suffer” and need absolve extremely grave confessional secrecy. to women who want to re-
said must be done out of to experience forgiveness. sins normally dealt with by Abortion is another such pent. In Catholic teaching,
authentic love, not to sat- Since becoming pontiff in grave sin that in the eyes abortion triggers automat-
isfy one’s conscience. 2013, Francis has stressed of the church must be ic excommunication when
The ritual, during Mass in that the church needs to absolved only by bishops the person is aware of the
St. Peter’s Basilica, symbol- be less severe and judg- or specially designated penalty and commits the
izes mortality. Catholics in mental. Attending the priests. But last year, Fran- sin anyway.q
churches worldwide were Mass were some 700 “Mis-
also marking Ash Wednes- sionaries of Mercy,” of the
day with similar ceremo- more than 1,000 priests
nies. Lent is the annual pe- chosen from candidates
riod of penitence, prayers worldwide to promote the
and sacrifice as faithful pope’s vision of mercy, es-
prepare for Easter. pecially to those who have
“True love, indeed, is not an strayed from the church
exterior act, it’s not to give and want to return to the
something in a paternalis- flock. After the ceremony,
tic way to satisfy the con- they were to head to as-
science, but it is accepting signments to preach and
those who need our time, hear confessions in Africa,
our friendship, our help,” Asia, North America, the
Francis said in his homily. Middle East and elsewhere
The pope described Lent as during the Holy Year, which
French lawmakers approve divisive
citizenship bill citing terror worries
SYLVIE CORBET told journalists after the
Associated Press vote. “This is a great day
PARIS (AP) — French law- for the Republic, for unity,
makers have approved a for France and for the fight
divisive bill aimed at mak- against terrorism”.
ing it possible to revoke The reform, which would
the citizenship of people alter the Constitution, is still
convicted on terrorism far from being definitively
charges. The bill, presented adopted. It also needs to
by Socialist Prime minister be voted on by the Sen-
Manuel Valls in the wake ate and ultimately would
of the Paris attacks last require a three-fifths major-
year, passed by 317-199 ity vote from lawmakers of
Wednesday in parliament’s both houses.
lower house, the National The government says the
Assembly. The measure measure would concern a
revealed deep division very small number of peo-
among the ruling Socialists. ple but is of high symbolic
Many on the left expressed value. The decision to re-
indignation at the move voke a person’s French citi-
and refused to vote for it. zenship would be made by
Justice minister Christian a judge and would apply
Taubira resigned last month to terrorism-related crimes.
in protest. The measure also Human rights groups had
divides the opposition con- warned that the bill risked
servatives. discriminating against mi-
Valls justified the need norities of immigrant back-
for the bill by the terrorist ground as the initial text
threat. “Because we are targeted dual nationals
at war, we must unite”, he only.q
