International

Pastor apologizes for words ‘hurtful to Muslims’ in homily on immigration

A Minnesota pastor has apologized after remarks he made about Muslim immigration and Islam being “the greatest threat in the world” sparked controversy. “My homily on immigration contained words that were hurtful to Muslims. I’m sorry for this,” said Father Nick Van Den Broeke, pastor of Immaculate Conception in Lonsdale, which is south of the […]

Pompeo announces new alliance for religious freedom

A new International Religious Freedom Alliance with 27 member states was announced by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pompeo said that the alliance would include “like-minded partners who treasure, and fight for, international religious freedom for every human being.” According to the alliance’s official description, it “will advocate for freedom of religion or belief for […]

German lay leader condemns cardinal for opposing ‘synodal way’

A leading lay Catholic in the German city of Cologne has openly condemned his own archbishop for voicing concerns over the ongoing “binding synodal process” underway in the country. Tim Kurzbach, chairman of the Diocesan Council of Catholics in the Archdiocese of Cologne issued a public denunciation of Cardinal Rainer Woekli, accusing the cardinal of […]

Germany’s synodal assembly a step to rebuilding church’s credibility

Catholic leaders in Germany have compiled responses from lay Catholics in areas related to who holds power in the church, sexual morals, the role of priests and the place of women in church offices in preparation for an upcoming Synodal Assembly to debate church reforms. More than 940 suggestions and questions had been submitted by […]

Around the world, 260 million Christians face persecution

Christian persecution around the world is a growing problem, says a new report from an agency that documents abuses against Christians across the globe. Worldwide, the report states, 260 million Christians are facing persecution. This marks a 6% increase from the previous year. The annual report from Open Doors, released on Jan. 15, rank-ed North Korea first […]

Pope Francis condemns clerics who engage in simony

In a homily on January 21, Pope Francis condemned priests and bishops who use money to advance their careers. To be a priest or bishop, like being a Christian, is a free and undeserved gift of God, not something to be bought, he said on Jan. 21 during Mass in the chapel of the Vatican’s […]

Three churches reportedly burned down in Sudan

According to a local rights group in Sudan, three churches in a town were burnt down in December 2019 and quickly rebuilt, only to be burnt down again earlier this month. Human Rights and Development Organization said that a Catholic Church, an Orthodox Church, and a Sudan Internal Church in Bout were burnt down on […]

Church leader executed by Boko Haram

A senior church leader in Nigeria, who was abducted in early January, has reportedly now been killed. Reverend Lawan Andimi, a state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), was taken during a raid in Michika, a town in Nigeria’s Adamawa State. A video was later released by a group linked to extremist Boko […]

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Pope: Red Cross’ humanitarian work shows that fraternity is possible

New Vatican document lists ‘grave violations’ of human dignity