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camila alves

Matthew McConaughey Engaged to Camila Alves:  It was a Merry Christmas indeed for Matthew McConaughey. The actor went through a ring on the finger of longtime girlfriend Camila Alves in the holidays.

Penn State

Since the child sex abuse scandal broke to Penn State University in November, have been victims of sexual abuse–many of whom had remained silent about their suffering for years–up spoken throughout the country, looking for counseling, hot lines and call contact lawyers.

An unprecedented increase in reports of abuse seems to be inspired by the fall of the University of respected football coach, Joe Paterno, and the President of the school, Graham Spanier.

“If the powerful dropped, the powerless really feel they have a shot,” said Marci a. Hamilton, a lawyer from Bucks County, PA., and author of “Justice denied: what America must do to protect her children.”

The rape, abuse and Incest National Network reported that in November, after the scandal broke out, her online hot line confidential support for victims (www.online.rainn.org) had the busiest month since it started in 2006. The average of 2,500 sessions a month jumped to 3,100.

Jeff Herman, a lawyer in Miami who represents victims of sexual abuse, said his website, which normally receives 5,000 hits per month, got 15,000 in November.

In recent weeks, two Pennsylvania politicians have come forward as victims.

The survivors network of those abused by priests (snap), based in Chicago, reported that in the last six weeks, it had been flooded with emails and phone calls from survivors.

“The real enemy in the child safety battle is ‘ sure, ‘” said David Clohessy, Director of module. “Certainly, after all those lawsuits, certainly, after all those priests were expelled, no daycare or athletic program or school or church or scouting group would ignore or hide child sexual offences more. ”

Penn State gave the lie to that assumption, which helped survivors in different ways.
“When high-profile predators in a given profession or institution are exposed, particularly in rapid succession, some abused victims in the same institution or by the same kind of offender come out of hope,” Clohessy said.

Dramatic response:

Cubans Enjoy Christmas

Cubans Enjoy Christmas Prior to Pope’s Visit: Cuban faithful refuse to say happy Christmas this year as he was about 14 years ago, Pope Benedict XVI, communist-run island, John Paul II’s historic visit by a pontiff since the first visit to prepare for the arrival of so many.

In March, the expected travel, patron saint of Cuba’s 400th anniversary coincides with the Roman Catholic officials on the island and after years of lobbying.

Even large role churches in recent years has assumed in Cuba appears to reward. Havana Archbishop Jaime Ortega personally political prisoners’s release in 2010 and 2011, negotiated by President Raul Castro and Church magazines began free market reforms on Cuban leaders advise articles have become a platform.

Castro announced that Cuba also Benedict visit Friday to a humanitarian gesture, some 2,900 prisoners jailed for political crimes including is cited in free.

Cuban church Christmas services Tuesday were holding out in old Havana, the Pope’s Cathedral. strength in recent months an unusually tired 84-year-old spiritual leader has appeared with travel between reports will go ahead and pray for the arrival of the day alleged, was down counting Montes de Oca said Rogelio retire.

Montes de Oca, 72 “will allow us that we have this treatment,” said faith in God. “every single country see him physically and the chance to get his blessing.”

However, the Pope has a rally in the past on grueling travel, and Cubans said they hoped that he will be able to see so many of the island as possible. When John Paul II in 1998 for a five-day trip, he was met by crowds as he visited the Eastern Metropolitan Santiago region and the central cities Santa Clara and Camaguey toured.

Cubans Enjoy Christmas

“I’m so glad Cuba is becoming a second visit by a Pope,” said Gilberto Sigarti, a musician who was praying before a statue of the patron saint of the Virgin of Caridad del Cobre, the island. “John Paul II’s visit was a great joy.”

The last papal visit to Cuba broke walls that had existed between the Church and Fidel Castro’s Government since the early days of the revolution, when the priests were sometimes harassed and arrested, and the State formally declared itself to be atheistic. Authorities discouraged Christmas celebrations, religious schools closed in 1962 and barred Communist party membership to people of religious conviction.

Much has changed since the visit of Pope John Paul II.

Instead of Fidel, Benedict meets with Raul’s younger brother, 80, who has had a much less stormy relationship with the Church and has also tried to church leaders for advice on some of the economic changes that he is pushing. Benedict also has a much more comfortable with religion from that visited by his predecessor.

In Cuba today, Catholicism is practiced openly — even by many Communist Party officials. Many Cuban Catholics mix faith with aspects of Afro-Cuban Santeria religion. Evangelical churches are also on the rise of the island.

Even with increased role of Christianity, Christmas is an event submitted to Cuba. There are no sales in State-owned shops and virtually no Christmas ornaments or decorated trees on display in public, in contrast to the ubiquitous signs celebrating the anniversary of the revolution 53, which takes place on 1 January.

Cubans traditionally gather for a family meal on Christmas Eve, even if a feast of pork shoulder, yucca and beans on new year’s Eve is more widely and enthusiastically celebrated.

Visit of Benedict XVI is a pilgrimage to honor the Virgin of Caridad del Cobre, patron of Cuba. A relic of the Virgin has traveled around the island this year. The Pontiff did not give exact dates for his trip, but the Vatican has indicated that it will be in March, shortly before the Easter. The Pope also will make a stop in Mexico on his Latin American swing.