BY FREDRICK NZWILI
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) - An African faiths environmental institute is calling on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to stop funding green revolution technol- ogies and genetically modified seeds for the continent, but instead support natural methods to help Africa achieve food suf- ficiency and protect its environments. In an open online letter that is also ask- ing for signatures, the Southern Africa Faith Communities' Environment Insti- tute said the foundation is fueling hunger and poverty by funding farming methods that fail to protect small-scale farmers and the environment. The Gates Foundation said it is working to ensure that small-scale African farm- ers can lift themselves out of poverty. The Southern Africa Faith Communi- ties' Environment Institute concerns come as humanitarian agencies continue to warn that millions of people in Africa increasingly face hunger and poverty, partly due to climate change, conflict and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a bold and strong call that is in line with Catholic social teaching prin- ciples of solidarity, preferential option for the poor and care for our common home," Allen Ottaro, founder and executive di- rector of the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa, told Catholic News Service in a reaction to the petition. "It is in solidarity with the African smallholder farmers who are at risk of losing sovereignty over their food production in the long term, as well as the loss of a variety of food crops that are rich in nutrition." The faith communities' institute said the Gates Foundation has been funding projects that promote growing of one specific type of crop in large fields at the expense of mixed cropping, a practice used by small-scale farmers in Africa for many years. Also, the institute said, in the growing of the single crop, the projects use heavy machinery, large amounts of fossil fuels, commercial fertilizers and pesticides in the approaches deemed to destroy the en- vironment. At the same time, large tracts of land are acquired for the crop, leaving many ordinary farmers without farming lands. The actions disrupt the people's ability to cope with food-related chal- lenges and the environment to withstand climatic changes. We urge the Gates Foundation to stop pushing a green 'revolution' that im- poses technologies and seeds that are controlled by companies with vested interests. Rather, it should be looking at and learning from small-scale farmers from around the world who are working to build alternative food systems that are socially just and ecologically sustainable," said the faith communities institute, which includes some Catholic organiza- tions.
BY DALE GAVLAK
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
AMMAN, Jordan (CNS) - Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and security concerns, Pope Francis hopes to visit Iraq, an opportunity that eluded his predecessors. Iraqis are excited that he is scheduled to come, de- spite those concerns. Iraqi Christians are very much optimistic because it's a sign of hope and solidarity despite the pan- demic, despite the security challenge. It's a strong sign of solidarity," Iraqi Father Emanuel Youkhana told Catholic News Service by phone from the north- ern city of Dahuk. Father Youkhana is a priest, or ar- chimandrite, of the Assyr- ian Church of the East. The 84-year-old pope, newly vaccinated, is mov- ing forward with his March 5-8 trip unless there is a serious new wave of coro- navirus infection there. It marks his first foreign trip since being grounded for 16 months due to the pan- demic. Pope Francis told Catho- lic News Service staffers at the Vatican it is important that the Iraqis "will see the pope is there in their coun- try," even if most would see him only on television because of social distanc- ing requirements. It's the first-of-its kind visit by the pope after St. John Paul II's scheduled trip to Iraq in 2000 had to be canceled due to regional tensions. St. John Paul wept that he could not go, as he especially wanted to visit the city of Ur, the birthplace of Abraham, recognized as the patri- arch of faith in one God by Jews, Christians and Muslims. In mid-2019, Pope Francis announced that he intend- ed to make his first visit to Iraq the following year, but the trip was postponed amid regional tensions and ongoing anti-government protests across the south- ern and central parts of the country. The pope told CNS in early February that he does not want to disap- point the Iraqis for a sec- ond time. Iraq is set to receive thousands of Pfizer-BioN- Tech vaccines in addition to the Chinese Sinovac vac- cine this month. As of Feb. 20, the Iraqi Health Minis- try reported 3,273 new CO- VID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 664,750. New lockdown measures took effect in Iraq a day earlier as it recorded its highest new coronavirus caseload in 2021 - double the daily figures from the previous week. On Jan. 21, the day after the Vatican announced plans for the papal trip to Iraq, two suicide bombers detonated explosive vests in a crowded market in central Baghdad, an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. At least 32 people died and more than 100 were injured. Shortly afterward, Cardi- nal Louis Sako, the Bagh- dad-based patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church,
Passionist priest takes step closer to sainthood
MANCHESTER, England (CNS) - A priest related to Princes William and Harry took a major step closer to sainthood when Pope Francis declared him venerable. Like St. John Henry Newman, Passionist Father Igna- tius Spencer is considered one of the towering figures of the 19th-century revival of English Catholicism, often referred to by church historians as the "Second Spring." The Feb. 21 announcement means the Catho- lic Church is satisfied that Father Spencer lived a life of heroic virtue. The search will now begin for two inexplicable healings at the intercession of the priest - one to declare him as blessed and the other to recog- nize him as a saint. Father Spencer is related to Prince William, the second in line to the British throne, and to Harry, the sixth in the line of succession, through their mother, Princess Diana. The Passionist was a great-great-great uncle of Princess Diana, and a great- uncle of Sir Winston Churchill. A former Anglican clergyman who became a Catholic, he raised money to bring Blessed Dominic Barberi - the priest who would receive St. John Henry Newman into the Church - to England and petitioned the Passionists to send him.
Vatican expects budget deficit for 2021
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - In the wake of the economic fallout due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vatican Sec- retariat for the Economy said it expects a multimillion- dollar deficit in its budget for 2021. In a statement released Feb. 19, the Vatican said Pope Francis signed off on the Holy See's 2021 budget, which was proposed by the secretariat and approved by the Council for the Economy, the Vatican board charged with oversee- ing the financial operations of all offices and entities. With total revenues of 260.4 million euros (US$316 million) and expenses of 310.1 million euros ($376.3 million), the Holy See expects a deficit of 49.7 million euros ($60.3 million) in 2021, heavily impacted by the economic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic," the secretariat said.
Faiths institute asks Gates Foundation to change tactics in Africa
Pandemic, security pose challenges, but pope, Iraqis, hopeful for visit
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THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS FEBRUARY 26, 2021
Pope marks 90th anniversary of Divine Mercy
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Marking the 90th anniversary of the apparition of Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska, Pope Francis wrote a letter to Catholics in Poland expressing his hope that Christ's message of divine mercy would remain "alive in the hearts of the faith- ful." According to a statement released by the Polish bishops' conference Feb. 22, the anniversary of the apparition, the pope said he was united in prayer with those commemorating the anniversary at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Krakow and encouraged them ask Jesus "for the gift of mercy. Let us have the courage to come back to Jesus to meet his love and mercy in the sacraments," he said. "Let us feel his closeness and tenderness, and then we will also be more capable of mercy, patience, forgiveness and love." In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that she had witnessed a vision of Jesus on Feb. 22, 1931.
Cardinals Sarah, Comastri retire from Vatican posts
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope Francis accepted the resignations of 75-year-old Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, and 77-year-old Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica and vicar for Vatican City State. While a new prefect of the worship congregation was not announced when news of the retirements was made public Feb. 20, the pope did name Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, 55, to be the new archpriest of the basilica and his vicar for Vatican City. Cardinal Gambetti, whom the pope elevated to the Col- lege of Cardinals in November, is a Conventual Francis- can who had served as general minister and custos of the Sacred Convent of St. Francis of Assisi since 2013. He had also been episcopal vicar for the pastoral care of the Basilica of St. Francis and other places of wor- ship overseen by the Conventual Franciscans in the diocese. He has degrees in mechanical engineering, theology and theological anthropology and is among the youngest of the cardinals. Like bishops, cardinals are required to offer the pope their resignations when they turn 75. Cardinals can still vote in a conclave un- til they are 80.
Causes of nuns who died during Ebola outbreak
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope Francis advanced the sainthood causes of three Italian nuns who died from the Ebola virus while ministering to patients in Congo. The pope signed the decrees Feb. 20 during a meet- ing with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Congregation for Saints' Causes. The pope recognized the heroic virtues of three members of the Congrega- tion of the Sisters of the Poor: Sister Floralba Rondi and Sister Clarangela Ghilardi, born in the province of Ber- gamo; and Sister Dinarosa Belleri, born in the province of Brescia, Italy. called on the faithful to fast and pray for peace in Iraq and for an end to the pandemic. He dismissed the significance of the bombing on the overall se- curity situation in Iraq. There have also been security incidents in Febru- ary. A rocket attack on an airbase housing U.S. troops near Irbil's airport in northern Iraq Feb. 15 killed a contractor for the U.S.- led coalition and injured at least nine other people, drawing international con- demnation. A little-known group called Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed respon- sibility for the attack but provided no evidence for the claim. On Feb. 22, three rockets were fired at the capital, Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, without caus- ing any casualties. Security officials said the U.S. Em- bassy was the target. The Iraqi government is responsible for the pope's safety and that of his en- tourage during the visit. The government will not want to risk any situa- tion with the pope's visit, because it would cause a failure for country. The pope is respected in many sectors of Iraqi society," Iraqi Dominican Father Ameer Jaje, an expert in Shiite relations, told CNS by phone from Baghdad.
CNS PHOTO FREDRICK NZWILI
A woman plants seeds on a farm on the grounds of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Machakos, Kenya, March 26, 2017. They grow food for the parish and teach the local community about farming.
CNS PHOTO TEBA SADIQ, REUTERS
People wearing protective masks arrive for Mass at a church in Baghdad Feb. 22, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pope Francis plans to visit Iraq March 5-8.
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CNS PHOTO TEBA SADIQ REUTERS CNS PHOTO FREDRICK NZWILI
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Sarah Comastri n See Vatican Letter, Page 4
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