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Catholic midwife honoured on Kartini Day in Indonesia

A Catholic midwife who has served a remote Indonesian province for more than three decades was among 10 women honoured by the government during its 144th Kartini Day celebrations. Yovita Mariati, a midwife from Sikka district in East Nusa Tenggara province, received the award at the state palace in Jakarta on April 21. Indonesians celebrate the day […]

Francis has opened the Vatican’s top leadership to women. Are lay cardinals next?

Pope Francis is reorganizing the Vatican Curia — the church’s administrators and his senior staff — and may name new cardinals in June.  Francis’ new apostolic constitution, “Praedicate Evangelium” (“Preach the Gospel”), issued last month, noted that the heads of dicasteries and other offices that manage the church need not be ordained. This highlighted Francis’ stated […]

Cologne Catholics who answer survey demand curbs on leaders’ power

Archdiocesan Catholics who responded to a survey preparing for the 2023 worldwide Synod of Bishops on synodality called for some big changes in the church. The German Catholic news agency KNA reported that a statement on the archdiocese’s website noted a majority of respondents called for the faithful to be given greater self-determination and demanded […]

Priest’s unexplained expulsion from Russia fuels fears for foreign clergy

A Catholic priest was expelled from Russia without explanation, amid fears for the well-being of other clergy ministering in the country. Father Fernando Vera, a Mexican member of Opus Dei, left Russia in mid-April after being told his residence permit was revoked. Father Kirill Gorbunov, spokesman for the Russian bishops’ conference, told Catholic News Service […]

Old folks really are happier, kinder thanks to abundance of ‘love hormone’

New study reveals that people who spent much of their lives volunteering, giving to charity, or helping others have higher levels of oxytocin Seniors really are kinder than younger generations thanks to the “love hormone” released in older people’s brains, according to new re-search. People who release more of the neurochemical oxytocin are kinder to […]

Burger King in Spain Apologizes, pulls offensive Holy Week ads

The fast-food chain Burger King in Spain has with-drawn and apologized for an offensive ad campaign that sparked outrage among Catholics during Holy Week. “We apologize to all those who have felt offended by our campaign aimed at promoting our vegetable products during Holy Week. Our intention has never been to offend anyone and the […]

Kenya’s retired President Mwai Kibaki, a Catholic, dies at age 90

Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki, who served as president of Kenya from 2002 to 2012, died April 22. He was 90. President Uhuru Kenyatta declared a national mourning period for Kibaki, a Catholic. Details of his funeral were not announced immediately. “As we mourn this immeasurable loss, we recall with eternal gratitude President Kibaki’s patriotic journey […]

Superiors plenary to focus on synodal experience in religious life

The International Union of Superiors General (UISG) is scheduled to meet in Rome May 2-6 for its 22nd Plenary Assembly which will bring together some 700 religious of 71 different nationalities. As many as 521 superiors general are expected to attend in person to discuss the theme: “Embracing Vulnerability in the Synodal Journey”. Ten key […]