Muslims Ask, Christians Answer
“Interreligious dialogue involves the sensitive asking of questions in order to achieve mutual understanding and respect … Father Troll shows himself to be a faithful Catholic practitioner of dialogue and an outstanding scholar of Islam.” Rev. James Massa, Former Executive Director, USCCB Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs “Based on his decades-long experience living and teaching among Muslims, Fr. Troll answers questions asked by Muslims about the beliefs and practices of their Christian neighbors. He places each set of questions within the context of contemporary Muslim perceptions, along with their sources in Islamic scripture and traditions. Fr. Troll answers them following orthodox Roman Catholic and traditional Protestant teachings. Muslims Ask, Christians Answer is a must-read for both experts and casual readers alike.” Sandra Toenies Keating, Associate Professor of Theology at Providence College Orders: http://www.newcitypress.com/muslims-ask-christians-answer.html
From Big Bang to Big Mystery
“Brendan Purcell has given us a study of human origins that is comprehensive, wise, and of startling philosophical clarity. He combines the latest discoveries in paleoanthropology, genetics, neuroscience, linguistics, and other sciences with the insights of thinkers from Xenophanes and Aristotle to Eric Voegelin and Bernard Lonergan to produce a deeply impressive and convincing synthesis.” Stephen M. Barr, Professor of Theoretical Physics, University of Delaware and author of Modern Physics and Ancient Faith “Purcell moves easily from the best scientific data on evolutionary genetics to mystical affirmations of God without skipping a beat. This is an astonishing, learned, and profoundly moving book.” David Walsh, Professor of Politics, The Catholic University of America Orders: http://www.newcitypress.com/big-bang.html
Angola, Going Against the Current in the Finance World
«I’ve been working in an NGO since 2008. I started out in this job coordinating an area under the direction of the executive director. Then, in the end of 2010 I took some holidays. When I returned to work, I found that the executive director had offered her resignation and I was asked to take her place. When I began, I found things that were left suspended and among them something rather delicate. It had to do with theft. During 2007 and 2008 the ex-director had stolen the taxes from the salaries of the workers and from the NGO, and had not paid them to the State. And so we had to pay a fine of some 75,000 dollars, which was an enormous amount for our organization. Perhaps to cover up what she had done, the former director had paid a certain amount on behalf of each worker that corresponded to the amount that had been deducted from their salary in those years. And she kept for himself the amount that the organization was expected to pay to the State. Each of us received this unexpected bonus without knowing the reason why, and we were very happy and surprised. I received an additional 12,000 dollars in my salary. Happy as I was, my conscience told me that something was wrong, and so I decided to return the extra monies. I contacted some lawyers to know what I should do and they advised me to falsify the documents, even my work contract, etc. According to them, the State would never have figured out the situation and would have enforced the fine anyway. But I wanted to remain faithful to my decision to build a more just society. “What would Jesus do in my place?” I asked myself. He would certainly have gone against the current. And so I decided to act accordingly and even to involve my colleagues in my decision. 
I told them that the first thing they should was to return the monies that didn’t belong to us and to write to the Finance Ministry explaining what had occurred and asking that the fine be cancelled. To my great surprise all of my colleagues agreed this. Meanwhile, the ex-director, who had left the country, let me know that she was very angry with me and that my decision to return the monies to the State was exaggerated. She couldn’t understand my actions and said that this would destroy the team spirit that it took years to build. But for me and my colleagues it meant being faithful to our duties as workers, certain that God – who sees all things – would help us. After three months of contacting the Finance Ministry, we received the happy news that the fine had been cancelled. Moreover, the officials were impressed with the honesty of our gesture in returning the monies to the State. We experienced an answer from God toward those who love and strive to remain faithful to Christian their values. Recently we had to submit our NGO’s financial statement. The Tax Council concluded by recognizing our NGO as a reference point for the transparency of its administration and for the way in which we solved problems together». A. G. – Luanda – Angola
dev.focolare.org App available on iPhone, iPod, iPad
Download site: http://itunes.apple.com/it/app/youcat/id448164885?mt=8 
Smartphone, iPhone, iPod, and iPad users will not be surprised by this announcement; in fact, they’ve been waiting for it. For the uninitiated, however, it can be useful to know that the frontier of new technologies, and in particular the so-called applications for mobile phones, now allow you to receive the news published on www.focolare. org on your smartphone! Glossary Smartphone (literally “smart” or “intelligent” phone) is a portable device that combines the functionality of the phone and the management of personal data. App – If you have a latest generation cell phone or iPad – as Giulio Meazzini, Citta Nuova journalist, explains in his book “Dal mare libero alle oasi protette” (From the Open Sea to Protected Oases) – the services that interest you can be accessed by using the “applications”, the so-called apps on the display that appear as many coloured icons, each one different from the other. The difference is by no means trivial: every app is built by a specific provider and offers a range of quick services, which are private and exclusive, targeted to the user. How the App of dev.focolare.org functions The app has been developed by TeamDev for dev.focolare.org and it can be downloaded for free at: http://itunes.apple.com/it/app/youcat/id448164885?mt=8 It is currently only available in Italian. In weeks to come it will also be available in English and Spanish. The screen allows you to enter the home page or one of the theme channels. This is version 1.0 with successive modifications forthcoming. Happy navigating to everyone! We look forward to your feedback!
Road of Hope
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Archbishop Van Thuan’s notes from prison are extraordinary. For thirteen years, his writings were smuggled out of his cell and circulated among Christians and non-Christians alike. People shared these handwritten messages of hope in response to Van Thuan’s challenge that the Vietnamese people bring the Church into the world by their love for one another. He wrote, “It would be so wonderful if God required us only to love him. However, he has chosen also to require the difficult obligation to love our neighbor.” Van Thuan calls for a deep examination of conscience. “You proclaim that all you do is for God and for the Church. Very well. But can you stand in his presence and honestly say that you are working completely for him?” And his directives are practical. “Your time of prayer is your period of intimacy with God, who is your Father. It is a time for the heart, not the head. Do not rack your brains or scratch your head as to how you should appear before God.” These 1,001 reflections are pearls of great price. If lived out, they will change your life.