Crisis on the U.S.-Mexico borderIn San Diego, adjacent to the Mexican diocese of Tijuana, pastoral priorities include the promotion of sacramental life; catechesis and evangelization; the defense of the dignity of human life in all its stages; the promotion of the family and vocations to marriage, the priesthood and consecrated life, as well as educational formation, faith formation and social services. But one of the most relevant programs is the one aimed at immigrants.
It is estimated that in the region covered by the diocese there are close to 200,000 undocumented immigrants, mostly from Mexico. As a result, "the border influences the pastoral life of the entire diocese, not just the parishes and Catholic schools closest to the border," explains Aida Bustos, media director for the San Diego diocese. Omnes approaches several people who work with migrants and reports on some of the initiatives undertaken by the pastoral ministry of care for people crossing the border, making some parishes and communities true oases of mercy.
The cover theme of the June issue is "Temples of the 21st Century. Sacred architecture, the meeting point of liturgy and art, is all about combining beauty with transcendence and welcome. On the occasion of a Omnes Forum held in May, with the participation of several architects with experience in the field of contemporary sacred architecture, we have collected several of their contributions. The formulas proposed vary greatly, of course, depending on subjective tastes and personal sensibilities. The diversity of the considerations of architects such as the Spaniard Ignacio Vicens or the American Steven J. Schloder, which have resulted in new, well-known churches, enriches the dossier on contemporary sacred architecture.
Omnes magazine is always attentive to information about what is happening in the Church throughout the world. In June, readers will find an interview with Thierry Bonaventura, the person responsible for Communications in the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, who explains some aspects (not only communicative) of the synodal process to which Pope Francis has summoned the Church. In the Rome section, the other areas of news about the Vatican and the Pope are presented, and in a specific section, the teachings of the Roman Pontiff are summarized and commented on.
"Reasons" is a news block of its own. In this issue we offer a report on chemical abortion, based on the controversies in the United States about mifepristone. And in the section on the "Theology of the 20th century", in which the theologian Juan Luis Lorda describes month by month the most relevant people and movements that influence recent theology, we approach the figure of the Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar.
In the "Culture" section, the life and work of the French philosopher Jacques Maritain are remembered on this occasion. It also reviews recently published books and includes reviews of television series.
Each issue also includes commentaries on the liturgical readings for each Sunday; a section dedicated to practical situations in the priestly life, which this month presents some pastoral suggestions for overcoming addictions; and a collection of initiatives and testimonies of people around the world who work every day to spread the Gospel message, with creativity and enthusiasm.
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