Pope condemns attack on Burkina Faso
“Hate is not the solution to conflict,” the Pope said after terrorists attacked churches and mosques in Burkina Faso, West Africa, on Sunday, leaving scores dead. At least 15 people were killed in an attack on a Roman Catholic church in Esakan, near the Mali border, during Sunday services. On the same day, dozens of people were reported to have been killed by a gunman at a mosque in the central province of Ouagadougou. Details of the two attacks, including the motive behind them, remain undercover, but BBC News reported that more than a third of Burkina Faso is now under rebel control. In a telegram to the nation’s bishops, the pope said he prayed for the souls of the deceased and called for “the fight against violence in order to promote the values of peace,” according to Vatican News.
Mafia suspected after bleach found in Holy Grail
It was reported this week that a mass in Calabria was called off on Saturday afternoon after an apparent attempt to poison the priest. Organized crime groups are suspected. During a service in Chessaniti in southern Italy, Father Felice Palamara noticed a strange odor coming from the chalices where he had just consecrated water and wine, causing the Mass to be interrupted. Lab tests confirmed that it contained bleach. No group has claimed responsibility for the attempted poisoning, Father Palamara told the newspaper. Corriere della Sera He was convinced that his parishioners were not to blame. He has been an outspoken critic of the ‘Ndrangheta organized crime network, which has a strong presence in the region, and his car has previously been set on fire over alleged intimidation.