Ooberfuse: Turn The Tide - Rimsha Masih

A Pakistani 11-year-old with Down's syndrome may face the death penalty for blasphemy over her alleged burning of pages from the Quran. Ooberfuse, a London-based electro-pop band, featuring Wizard MC from the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA), released Turn the Tide, raising their voices in protest against the latest victim of Pakistan's black blasphemy laws.
Download the track for FREE at http://ooberfuse.com/home.cfm
In association with the British Pakistani Christian Association http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.co.uk/

LYRICS:
They say she burned pages from the Koran
Down's syndrome girl from Pakistan
Taken from her mother's arms
The mob yell out, sound the alarm
Roughly ripped from her family
11 yrs old, for blasphemy
She clings to her mum, crying loud
Police to appease the angry crowd
Holy imam shouts condemnation
Screams for her death ring round the police station

No matter what your colour is
No matter what your creed
No matter what your caste is
When you cut, you bleed

Free!
Turn the tide of hate to the tide of love!
Set her free!

Rimsha Masih, Asia Bibi
We cry for their freedom and dignity
Salman Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti
Killed for defending minorities
Who'll speak up for the voiceless now
We need to protect and defend somehow
Don't stay silent, protect the defenceless
Don't stay quiet, hate is relentless
Don't stay silent, protect the defenceless
Don't stay quiet, hate is relentless

Pakistan: Catechetical books and DVDs for poor parishes in the Archdiocese of Karachi

Pakistan (Aid to the Church in Need) - The bookshop of the St Paul's Sisters lies like an oasis in one of the busiest commercial streets of Karachi, the former Pakistani capital, today a port city of 18 million souls in the south of Pakistan. The sisters, one Italian and four Pakistani religious, offer a broad range of religious literature and other items - Bibles, holy pictures, Mass vestments, rosaries, postcards, children's First Holy Communion books, Christian CDs and DVDs. Outside, the traffic roars past - brightly painted buses without doors rumble by, motorised rickshaws thread their way through the traffic, mopeds, cars, donkey carts - it is all an unimaginable din. The acrid fumes catch at the throat. Bearded men sit on the pavement outside their shops, while others stride past the shop windows. For a Christian establishment in Pakistan, such an exposed position is dangerous. Already in the past there have been attacks. Sister Daniela Baronchelli, who hails from Brescia in Italy, nonetheless thinks it is a good thing that the shop is situated in such a public place. "Here it is open to everyone, and anyone can come in", she tells us, though at the same time she acknowledges, "We are in great danger". Nevertheless, the sisters will not allow themselves to be intimidated, and carry on regardless.

Needless to say, the great majority of the customers in the shop are Christians. Above all they purchase Bibles and catechisms. At the same time, however, the sisters have noticed the ever-worsening poverty and seen how fewer books are being purchased as a result. The situation is growing increasingly critical. Of course the Christians have always been poor, but now there is real destitution, the 80-year-old nun informs us. And she adds, sadly, "Our Christians here are very strong in their faith, but many people are weary. The mothers have no work, the fathers have been made redundant from the factory. And there is so much violence, so many people being senselessly killed. God alone knows what will become of this country, Pakistan", she concludes. The one real source of hope for her is the fact that the Pakistani Christians continue to believe unshakably, despite everything, in the Word and the teaching of God. And they are willing to embrace many sacrifices too. Last year, when a Muslim religious leader called for the Bible to be banned in Pakistan, many of the faithful came in and bought up Bibles in order to give them to their poorer fellow Christians, so that they would still have a copy of their own even if there was a ban.

Sister Daniela and her fellow religious sisters live for the opportunity to bring the Good News of the Gospel to others. The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has already been able to help them in the past. Sister Daniela has expressed her gratitude to ACN - but not so much for the financial support as above all for the "communion of love" that unites us. "I love ACN", she tells us. "You are helping Christians to grow in their faith. You are in our hearts."

The sisters of St Paul not only run the bookshop but also go out into the parishes, in the villages, and into the Catholic schools in order to distribute Bibles and religious books there. This media apostolate is extremely important. However, it meets with great hostility from some Muslims, since they perceive the items sold as being "against Islam", above all the pictures and films. Yet these are especially important for the pastoral work, since many people in Pakistan can neither read nor write.

And so the sisters continue, despite all the difficulties, for the Catholic faithful need spiritual nourishment to help them remain faithful to Christ and to the Church and be able to draw consolation, health and strength from God's Word in a strongly Islamic environment where life is already dangerous for them. The sisters have turned to ACN for help so that they can take Bibles and other catechetical material into some of the poorest parishes of the archdiocese of Karachi. ACN has promised them a grant of $6,300.

The vital work of Catholic charities like Aid to the Church In Need provide a lifeline to the Church wherever she is poor, persecuted or threatened. Please help our work by donating online or send your donation to Aid to the Church in Need, PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148. Ph: (02) 9679-1929

Source: PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS

Free Asia Bibi by ooberfuse feat Wizard MC

Asia Bibi, mother of five is the first and only woman to be sentenced to death in Pakistan for defending her Christian faith.

The Free Asia Bibi media-awareness campaign includes the release of a song titled Free Asia Bibi, a music video and an informational website, www.FreeAsiaBibi.co.uk.

UK-based electro-pop group, Ooberfuse, has released a new video in support of Asia Bibi–currently imprisoned for being a Christian. “Free Asia Bibi,”

“We are Christians and poor, but our family is a light...I still don’t know when they will hang me, but be at peace, my loves, I shall go with my head held high, without fear, because I will be in the company of Our Lord and the Virgin Mary, who will welcome me into their arms,” Asia Bibi.

The government of Punjab demolishes a Christian Institute

Please follow the link for more info: ASIA/PAKISTAN - The government of Punjab demolishes a Caritas lodging: for the Church it is a "criminal move"

and here

Gosha-e-Aman Update New Video, Mgr Sebastian Shaw, Auxiliary Bishop of Lahore 
This video is in English

Faisalabad celebrating 50 years of priesthood of Fr Bonnie Mendes

FAISALABAD, Pakistan, Jan 9, 2012--"Serving as a priest of the diocese of Faisalabad was given a precious gift from God." This is how Bonnie Mendes, priest and activist in Pakistan, celebrated 50 years of priesthood on 7 January in the city's cathedral, a church crowded with a thousand people, including priests, nuns, catechists, students, laymen and members of civil society .

"The mission of my life - he added - is to work as much as possible for the redemption of the underprivileged and marginalized groups including women, children, low-paid workers and religious minorities." Catholics in Faisalabad (Punjab) welcomed him with flowers, throwing rose petals, songs of celebration and drum rolls. The local bishop, Mgr. Joseph Coutts, and activists Ayub Sadiq and Peter Jacob, executive secretary of the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) have praised the efforts of the priest in promoting interfaith dialogue, peace and human rights.

For the occasion, the organizers have shown a multimedia movie that retraced the life and mission of Fr Bonnie Mendes, in addition to his contribution to the faith and social fields. He was ordained priest on 7 January 1962 and obtained his doctorate on development in the Philippines. In 2005 he received a prestigious award for his contribution to peace and interfaith harmony and, even today, is regional coordinator of Caritas Asia and Executive Director of the Society for Human Development, an organization active in Pakistan since 1984.

Speaking of the work of Fr Mendes, the Bishop of Faisalabad Msgr. Coutts said that "he is like light, salt and yeast," and his every action in life is "in the light of the teachings of the Bible." Like John the Baptist, the prelate added, he has prepared the way for others in the service of humanity "small steps to promote human development." Fr. Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, NCJP national director, says that "following his example," the Catholic Church "can bring a positive change" to Pakistani society.

Fr. Khalid Rasheed, vicar general of the diocese of Faisalabad, included Fr. Mendes among those priests who "spread the faith like Aaron" and " lead the nation socially and politically like Moses." Fr. Aftab James Paul adds that "He in not only a religious and social leader, but a progressive reformer and visionary intellectual." Finally activist Sardar Sadaqat, for which Bonnie Mendes is not just a single individual, but also "an institution and statesman as well."

Source: Asia News