U.S.

Chaldeans protest detentions

DETROIT — The organizer of a protest June 16 in Detroit against federal agents' rounding up more than 100 Iraqi-American immigrants told local media that those who were detained had no prior warning that Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be arresting them the morning of June 11. Joined by U.S. Democratic Reps. Sander Levin and Brenda Lawrence of Michigan, members of the Chaldean Christian community gathered in front of the Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building. They held up signs, crosses and American flags, venting their frustration against federal authorities who detained their father, brothers and uncles, many of whom have been in the community for decades. Late June 20, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington released a letter that conference officials sent to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, urging him from a moral perspective to defer deportation of the individuals apprehended by ICE, particularly Christians and Chaldean Catholics, "who pose no threat to U.S. public safety" and would be sent back to a region where the persecution of religious minorities continues. It was signed by Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, USCCB president; Bishop Joe S. Vasquez of Austin, Texas, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration; and Bishop Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces, New Mexico, chairman of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace.

Rosary tied to 'peace in the world'

WASHINGTON — Why do Catholics pray the Rosary? The history of the Rosary traces to the 13th century. It is believed that Mary gave St. Dominic the Rosary to rescue the Church from the Albigensian heresy. Initially, 150 Hail Marys were prayed as a part of the Rosary. "The prayer of the rosary, originally composed of 150 Hail Marys, is based on the 150 psalms of the Psalter prayed in monasteries since antiquity," said Gretchen Crowe, editor-in-chief of OSV Newsweekly in Huntington, Ind., and author of the new book "Why the Rosary, Why Now?" The string of beads used to recite Our Fathers and Hail Marys are called "paternosters," Latin for "Our Father." The Rosary evolved over the next three centuries to consist of 50 beads — which form the five sections, or decades, of the Rosary, separated by a large bead for the Our Father. "In many ways, the rosary and its spiritual benefits became most well-known during the 19th and 20th centuries through the record 11 encyclicals Pope Leo XIII wrote on the topic," Crowe said.

Leaders decry attack outside London mosque

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Catholic bishops "unequivocally reject" acts of violence such as the attack outside a London mosque and pleaded with all people "to cease from committing or plotting to commit further acts. We would like to express our deepest condolences to the people of London who once again woke to the news of a terrorist attack," said Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of Springfield, Mass., chairman of the USCCB Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. In a joint statement June 20, they said they were praying especially for the community of Muslims at Finsbury Park Mosque in North London "whom it appears were the intended victims of the attacker." A white man later identified as Darren Osborne, 47, from Wales, is accused of plowing the van he was driving into pedestrians near the mosque June 19 as Muslims were exiting after Ramadan prayers. The attack happened shortly after midnight. One person was killed and 10 were injured. Osborne was apprehended by police. Saying the attack was directed at Muslims, British Prime Minister Theresa May condemned it as "every bit as sickening" as deadly Islamist attacks that have hit England in recent months.