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Pope Francis opens ministries of lector and acolyte to women

On Jan. 11, Pope Francis published an apostolic letter issued motu proprio (which means “on his own impulse” in Latin), modifying canon law regarding women’s access to the ministries of lector and acolyte. He also released a letter to Vatican doctrinal chief Cardinal Luis Ladaria explaining his reasoning for the decision. In the document, Spiritus Domini, […]

A new solution for America’s empty churches: A change of faith

Over the past few decades, vacant and under-utilized churches have become a familiar sight in American cities. In some cases, a congregation or a religious governing body – say, a Catholic diocese – will sell the church to developers, who then turn them into apartments, offices, art galleries, museums, breweries or performance spaces. But what about churches in neighborhoods that aren’t doing […]

Refusal of the word persecution to qualify the situation in Egypt on the part of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarch

“When I meet the leaders of the world, they always ask me questions about the persecution that is affecting us in Egypt, and I answer that there is no persecution, clearly rejecting this expression to qualify our condition in our country.” This is how Coptic Orthodox Patriarch Tawadros II described his reaction to foreign representatives […]

Surgical abortion clinics on the decline in US; abortion pill providers on the rise: report

An exam room at the Planned Parenthood South Austin Health Centre is shown following the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down a Texas law imposing strict regulations on abortion doctors and facilities in Austin, Texas, U.S. on June 27, 2016. The number of clinics that provide surgical abortion procedures has declined over the past several […]

Babachir to ex-Emir Sanusi: Borrow Bible read Psalm 37, for strength

Babachir said he had been in the shoes of the deposed ruler and the monarch’s stance for the poor and the downtrodden especially in the North, will eventually lead to his emergence as a stronger and better person. Babachir made the remarks in a statement issued to newsmen, in Yola, Adamawa State. Addre-ssing the embattled […]

VATICAN – MISSIONARIES KILLED IN 2020

According to informa-tion gathered by Agenzia Fides, in 2020 20 missionaries were killed in the world: 8 priests, 1 religious man, 3 religious women, 2 semina-rians, 6 lay people. This 2020 year the highest number of missionaries killed returns to be registered in America, where 5 priests and 3 lay people were killed (8). Followed […]

Former Vatican security chief praises pope’s financial reforms

Just over a year after this exit, Domenico Giani, formerly believed to be one of the most powerful people in the Vatican, has given an interview offering details as to his current career path and his thoughts on papal reform. In the interview, published in Avvenire, the official newspaper of the Italian bishops, on Jan. 6, […]

Vatican issues guidance for Ash Wednesday

The Vatican on January 12 gave guidance about how priests can distribute ashes on Ash Wednesday amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments published a note directing priests to say the formula for distributing the ashes once to everyone present, rather than to each person. The priest […]