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Britney declares she has become a Catholic

In a post on Instagram on Aug. 5 Britney Spears wrote: ”I just got back from mass… I’m Catholic now…let us pray.” The 39-year-old pop star was raised in a strict Baptist household and is a regular churchgoer, but has had a troubled relationship with her family and her fame. Her apparent swim across the […]

Envelope with bullets addressed to Pope Francis intercepted

An envelope containing three bullets addressed to Pope Francis was intercepted in Milan late on Aug. 8, according to Italian media reports. The piece of mail, which had no return address but carried a French stamp, was addressed to “The Pope, Vatican City, St. Peter’s Square in Rome,” the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported. […]

Spiritual abuse occurs more frequently than believed, Vatican official says

The Vatican is investigating about a dozen founders of congregations of consecrated or religious life, and the most common allegations involve abuse of power or conscience, financial corruption or problems associated with “affectivity,” said a top official. Spanish Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo, secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic […]

Crises are signs that church is still alive, pope says

Difficulties and crises within the Catholic Church are not signs of a church in decline but one that is alive and living through challenges, just like men and women today, Pope Francis said. “Let us remember that the church always has difficulties, always is in crisis, because she’s alive. Living things go through crises. Only the […]

Benedict XVI laments lack of faith in German Catholic officialdom

In a rare lengthy interview with a German newspaper, retired pope Benedict XVI reflected on his 70 years as a priest and lamented what he said is an increasing institutionalization of the Catholic Church in Germany, making it a functional entity rather than the living body of Christ. In written responses to German magazine Herder […]

Congo’s bishops want an end to attacks on Catholic Church, its leaders

Catholic bishops in Congo called for an end to attacks on the church and its leaders, acts they believe are linked to the church’s persistent call for democracy and national cohesion. The bishops said the Archdiocese of Kinshasa has been targeted as well as places of worship — including parishes, Marian grottoes, altars and sanctuaries […]

There’s a religious revival going on in China

The Chinese government has promoted a revival of Confucianism, along with traditional religious practices, as part of its nationalist agenda.  The Chinese Communist Party is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding in 1921. For most of those decades, the party sought to restrict or obliterate traditional religious practices, which it considered part of China’s […]

Catholics see challenging balance in Simone Biles’ decisions at Olympics

When Simone Biles, described as the world’s greatest gymnast, announced July 27 she would not be competing in a team event with the U.S. women’s Olympics gymnastics team and the next day withdrew from the all-around final, many people were shocked, but many supported her decision to prioritize her mental health. Counsellors and spiritual directors […]