International

How the Vatican secured the release of jailed Nicaraguan bishop

It’s being called a successful negotiation between the Holy See and the regime of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. The government in the Central American nation this past January 14 announced that it had released Bishop Rolando Alvarez from prison and exiled him to Rome. It also freed another bishop, 15 priests, and two seminarians and […]

‘Slum priests’ slam new libertarian government in Pope’s native Argentina

A group of 60 “slum priests” in Pope Francis’s native country released a January 19 statement denouncing what they described as deteriorating living conditions for millions of impoverished Argentines, driven by rising food prices and decreasing earnings. Though he’s only been in office for a little over a month, new Argentine President Javier Milei nervetheless […]

Istanbul church attack: Gunmen kill one person during Sunday morning mass

The shooting happened at the Church of Santa Maria during Sunday mass at around 11:40 local time (08:40 GMT). Turkey’s interior minister later said on X, formerly Twitter: “The two mur-der suspects have been captured,” without giving further details on the motive of the attack. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack. In […]

The Church has been urging government to permit non-Muslim students to receive religious education in their faith

In a notification on Jan. 22, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training in Paki-stan approved a new curriculum, which makes studying Islam non-compulsory for Christian, Bahai, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, and Zo-roastrian students in the Islamic nation. The Religious Education Cu-rriculum 2023 for Grades 1 to Grade 12 will be introduced from the next […]

Surprising agreement between African and German bishops on same-sex couples

In the Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum in Innsbruck, Austria, featuring regional art of the Tyrol, there is a collection of magnificently, and intricately, carved nativity scenes. One of them shows the manger set amidst the mountainous Alps, with medieval towers looking down on the scene. That carving may not be historically accurate, but it is not heresy either. Its lack of […]

Cardinal says debate about blessings is normal part of Church life

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Va-tican secretary of state, said the debate surrounding the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s declaration on the possibility of blessing gay couples shows that deeper reflection is still needed. At the same time, he said, the reaction is a normal and healthy part of the Catholic Church learning how to […]

Cardinal Turkson at Davos: Business should foster economic solidarity

On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Card-inal Peter Turkson reflects on the importance of entrepreneurs wor-king to change business practices and goals in order to promote the economic integration of people enduring poverty. Global leaders need to adopt a transformative approach to economics so that people facing economic hardship may be […]

Armed men kidnap 6 nuns, others in Haitian capital

Six nuns from the Congrega-tion of the Sisters of Saint Anne were kidnapped Jan. 19 while traveling on a bus in the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, according to the Haitian Conference of Religious. Other passengers on the bus also were taken in the abduction, the conference said in a statement. “These many kidnappings fill the consecrated […]

Eviction-facing Indian Catholics to fight Muslim charity’s claims

Goans oppose tourism project near 16th century basilica