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Presidential election: Ash Wednesday rite postponed to Thursday

So that the faithful can experience the important moment of the elections with full attention and with a conscience enlightened by faith and the search for the common good and charity, and on the other hand, to ensure that the baptized experience the beginning of Lent in fullness, without distraction and polarization, in a true […]

Christians in Asia face increasing persecution: report

One in every seven Christians in the world faces high levels of persecution for their faith and two out of every five Christians in Asia are persecuted, says a report from US-based Christian rights group, Open Doors. The attacks on Christians are becoming “dangerously violent” with churches, and Ch-ristian institutions targeted while Christians face digital surveillance and […]

How the Vatican secured the release of jailed Nicaraguan bishop

It’s being called a successful negotiation between the Holy See and the regime of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. The government in the Central American nation this past January 14 announced that it had released Bishop Rolando Alvarez from prison and exiled him to Rome. It also freed another bishop, 15 priests, and two seminarians and […]

‘Slum priests’ slam new libertarian government in Pope’s native Argentina

A group of 60 “slum priests” in Pope Francis’s native country released a January 19 statement denouncing what they described as deteriorating living conditions for millions of impoverished Argentines, driven by rising food prices and decreasing earnings. Though he’s only been in office for a little over a month, new Argentine President Javier Milei nervetheless […]

Istanbul church attack: Gunmen kill one person during Sunday morning mass

The shooting happened at the Church of Santa Maria during Sunday mass at around 11:40 local time (08:40 GMT). Turkey’s interior minister later said on X, formerly Twitter: “The two mur-der suspects have been captured,” without giving further details on the motive of the attack. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack. In […]

The Church has been urging government to permit non-Muslim students to receive religious education in their faith

In a notification on Jan. 22, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training in Paki-stan approved a new curriculum, which makes studying Islam non-compulsory for Christian, Bahai, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, and Zo-roastrian students in the Islamic nation. The Religious Education Cu-rriculum 2023 for Grades 1 to Grade 12 will be introduced from the next […]

Surprising agreement between African and German bishops on same-sex couples

In the Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum in Innsbruck, Austria, featuring regional art of the Tyrol, there is a collection of magnificently, and intricately, carved nativity scenes. One of them shows the manger set amidst the mountainous Alps, with medieval towers looking down on the scene. That carving may not be historically accurate, but it is not heresy either. Its lack of […]

Cardinal says debate about blessings is normal part of Church life

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Va-tican secretary of state, said the debate surrounding the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s declaration on the possibility of blessing gay couples shows that deeper reflection is still needed. At the same time, he said, the reaction is a normal and healthy part of the Catholic Church learning how to […]