Friday, October 25
Roberto Benigni, who won an Oscar for the film "Life Is Beautiful," has written a poem on peace for the official Web site of the Basilica and Sacred Convent of St. Francis of Assisi. Like hundreds of others, the comedian and film director responded to the initiative launched on the Internet site of the Conventual Friars ( here ), by sending "an e-mail message of peace," said Father Enzo Fortunato, director of the convent's press office. When he opened his e-mail messages on Wednesday, Father Fortunato was surprised to find a poem sent by Benigni himself.
Concerns over an apparent Foggy Bottom policy shift were prompted two weeks ago, when John Hanford, U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, told a congressional committee that Chinese officials are willing to permit their young to participate in religious Sunday schools and youth camps.
Given the reality of the PRC's official and often-brutal campaign and policies against believers, Hanford's comments (at the House Subcommittee on International Relations and Human Rights' hearing on the department's 2002 International Religious Freedom Report) took aback the regime's critics, who expect the State Department to challenge PRC claims — about Sunday school or anything else — without overwhelming evidence.
With Hanford's testimony coming just two weeks before premier Jiang Zemin's visit to the U.S., the mood among activists was disappointment over a lost opportunity, and confusion as to whether the State Department was glossing over the PRC's ugly record.
There is a Bendectine Convent now located at the Tyburn Tree, the site of many of these martyrdoms. They have a lovely website here.
You all are cordially invited to the 1st annual St. Blog's Cruise.
Come with us as we enjoy the ocean breezes, warm sun and ports o' call at the famous islands of St. Linkme, St. Paypal and the daily morning stop of Checkmycounter Bay. For a mere $4.57, you will enjoy all of this plus experience Life with Famous Catholic Bloggers. I can't speak for the others, but I know you won't want to miss time watching the proprieters of In Between Naps and Annunciations sitting in a stupor on deck chairs discussing how long the baby slept the night before and scraping off the Cheerios smashed into their shorts. Definitely a fun-filled week!