Pope Cites Internet as New Media for Evangelization

NATIONAL JOURNAL'S TECHNOLOGY DAILY, Nov. 7—Pope John Paul II will dedicate his message for World Communications Day to the Internet, the Washington-based Web service said. The Pope has chosen the theme, “Internet: A New Forum for Proclaiming the Gospel,” for the message, which will be published Jan. 24. The Church will mark World Communications Day May 12.

But the Gospel has some competition on the Internet. Reuters reports that some 40% of Internet users in Britain say they have accidentally come across pornography while surfing the Web. A consumers association said it was working with search engines to crack down on porn sites.

Afghans Need Aid Urgently, Pope Warns

YORKSHIRE POST, Nov. 11—Noting that people in many parts of the world suffer from lack of food, water, housing and health care, Pope John Paul said during a Sunday blessing that the “dear people of Afghanistan” need urgent humanitarian aid.

“It's an emergency for the world, which must not, however, make us forget that, in other parts of the world, there still persist conditions of great poverty and pressing need,” the Pope said in remarks delivered from his window overlooking St. Peter's Square.

He did not refer directly to the U.S.-led military strikes against Taliban and Al Qaeda positions in Afghanistan. But he said that imbalances between the world's haves and have-nots only fuel conflict, and he called on people to reform their lives. “It's not enough to limit oneself to extraordinary initiatives,” he said. “The commitment to justice requires an authentic change of lifestyle, especially in the society of prosperity, as well as a more equitable management of resources in both rich and poor countries.”

Matteo Ricci's Map Displayed in Beijing

INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE, Nov. 10—Brought out of a 56-year storage, a 400-year-old map drawn by the Italian Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci was displayed in the capital of China in connection with an international seminar marking the 400th anniversary of Father Ricci's arrival in Beijing.

Father Ricci's map for the first time showed China as one nation among many, a marked departure from charts depicting the “Middle Kingdom” as the center of the world.

The map had once been part of the Forbidden City's imperial collection, but when Japanese forces entered Beijing in 1931, it was taken to safe havens around southern China, ending up in Nanjing.

Muslims Begin Work on Nazareth Mosque

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Nov. 14—Muslims in Nazareth have begun constructing a mosque next to the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, despite protests from the Vatican and from Israeli authorities.

The wire service reported that the Vatican, in a statement, called on the Israeli government to stop “Muslim extremists” from building the mosque. Construction would, in effect, “put this holy place in a state of permanent siege and make its gate a gathering place for the most hostile elements,” the statement said.

Muslims in the city accused the Vatican of meddling in local affairs. “The Vatican wants to control Nazareth,” said the leader of the local Islamic Movement.

Construction, which began without the necessary permits, was halted by the Israeli Lands Authority. The Islamic Trust said it will start the work again if it does not get the necessary permits within a week.

Earlier this year, Father Giovanni Battistelli, the Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land, said that free access to Christian holy sites was threatened, and that a mosque next to the basilica would put the church “under siege, in terms of free access.” In a letter to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, he urged construction of a public plaza there instead.