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Christian Village Attacked in Pakistan

Around 200 Muslims attack-ed a Christian village in the Okara District of Pakistan. The incident was incited May 14 when a Muslim motorcyclist, Muhammad Khalil, complained that youths cleaning a church road threw dust and water at him. At that moment, a verbal dispute took place. A few hours later, Khalil brought some friends, and […]

China Snubs Pope, Enforces New Clergy Laws

In a further blow to Pope Francis’ secret Sino-Vatican concordat, China is enforcing new draconian laws compelling clergy to “practice the core values of communism” and pro-mote the “sinicization of religion” — under threat of criminal sanctions. The Measures for the Administration of Religious Clergy, issued by the Communist Party of China’s (CCP) State Bureau […]

Archbishop Roche to head liturgy congregation

Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Arthur Roche to lead the Holy See’s department for liturgy, making him the top-ranking English priest in the Curia. His appointment represents an overhaul of the office which oversees the practice of worship across the global Church. The former Bishop of Leeds is to be the Prefect of the Congregation […]

Catholic Palestinian gets kidney transplant from slain Jewish Israeli

Arab Catholic Randa Aweis, 58, recovers from a kidney transplant with her daughter Niveen, 26, in Hadassah Medical Centre in Jerusalem, May 21, 2021. Aweis received a donor kidney from an Israeli Jew, Yigal Yehoshua, 56, who died after being hit with stones during riots in Lod, Israel. For nine years, Randa Aweis battled kidney […]

Clergy arrested as week of prayer for China begins

Days before the week of prayer for Catholics in China began on May 23 and seminarians in the country were arrested for holding Sunday, several services without the permission of the country’s Communist authorities. In 2007, then-Pope Benedict XVI published a lengthy letter to Catholics in China in which he designated May 24, the feast […]

More Protestant churches shut as members leave: study

With fewer than 50% of Americans holding formal memberships in churches in 80 years, more Protestant church-es are closing than opening nationwide, and further decline appears “inevitable,” new data show. Estimates made by the Nashville-based Lifeway Research, show that in 2019, well before many churches were forced to close in 2020 due to the coronavirus […]

Key Spanish archdiocese to combine parishes amid falling numbers

The Barcelona Archdiocese will combine most parishes into larger pastoral communities, amid falling church attendance and secularization. A statement on the archdiocesan website said most Spanish dioceses were facing the same process. It said three to six parishes would be grouped together, resulting in 48 pastoral communities. “The intention of an eventual diocesan reorganization is […]

Pope moves youth seminary out of Vatican amid abuse trial

Pope Francis has decided to move a youth seminary outside Vatican City, taking action before the Vatican’s criminal tribunal renders a verdict in a sex abuse trial involving a former seminarian and an ex-rector. The Vatican made no mention of the ongoing trial in its announcement  that the St Pius X pre-seminary would relocate somewhere in […]