International

Vatican appears likely to empower archbishops on abuse claims against bishops

One of the proposals made at last month’s meeting of U.S. Catholic bishops for investigating future allegations of misconduct by prelates appears likely to receive Vatican approval, according to several eminent canon lawyers and theologians. Celebration, NCR’s sister publication, will publish a new reflection each day during Advent. The suggestion to empower the nation’s metropolitan […]

Vatican Creates New Office to Serve Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement

Pope Francis has wanted the creation of a single service dedicated to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal organizations since 2015 — a vision that is now becoming a reality thanks to the creation of CHARIS (Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service), which will be officially instituted on Dec. 8. This new body within the Dicastery for Laity, […]

More than 2,000 people killed or missing in seaborne European migration attempts

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the UN-backed inter-governmental agency, has said that some 2,133 people seeking asylum have been killed or gone missing this year while trying to reach Europe by sea. The organisation said that in the period to 28 November, some 107,583 migrants and refugees had entered Europe by sea this year […]

Egypt regularises 168 churches and Christian places of worship

The regularisation of more than a hundred new churches and Christian places of worship “is a positive step” and confirms that the government intends to “put into practice” what is in the “law on irregular places of worship approved a year and a half ago,” said Fr Rafic Greiche, spokesman for the Egyptian Catholic Church, […]

Births and Religious Marriages Collapse in Italy After Two Synods on the Family

On the very same day on which the Pontifical Urban University was opening anexhibit (see photo) dedicated to the heroic Ulma family of Poland – “this big family,” Pope Francis said, “shot by Nazi Germans during the second world war for having hidden and given aid to Jews” – in Italy the National Institute of […]

Cardinal Pell Convicted on Charges He Sexually Abused Choir Boys

The Vatican’s third most powerful official has been convicted in Australia on all charges he sexually abused two choir boys there in the late ’90s, according to two sources with knowledge of the case. A unanimous jury returned its verdict for Cardinal George Pell (Australian time) after more than three days of deliberations, the sources […]

Indonesian Christian governor Ahok set for early release from prison

Jakarta’s former governor, known as “Ahok,” who was sentenced last year to two years in jail for blasphemy against Islam, is to be released from prison next month, four months ahead of schedule. The ethnic Chinese Christian, whose real name is Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, was due to be released in May but has been granted […]

Shakespeare was a covert Catholic sympathizer, English countess says

Shakespeare has been considered a political for centuries – apart from the concessions he made to appease his patrons – but a new school of thought claims the Elizabethan play wright was a covert Catholic sympathizer who sprinkled clues about his religious beliefs throughout his early sonnets. Clare Asquith, the Countess of Oxford and Asquith, […]

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Youth taught to use social media to become Good Samaritans

Pakistan’s oldest priest passes away at 97