International

Pope says imitating Jesus is more than ‘rigid observance’ of rules

Honoring Saints Peter and Paul, the patrons of Rome, on their liturgical feast day, Pope Francis said understanding and imitating Jesus is not a matter of following doctrinal formulas or the “rigid observance” of rules and norms. Rather, it means letting go of preconceived convictions and daily being transformed by his love in order to […]

Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including Archbishop Fernández

Pope Francis said on Sunday that he will create 21 new cardinals, including the Vatican’s recently appointed doctrinal chief Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández, at a consistory on Sept. 30. The 86-year-old pope made the announcement from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square after reciting the Angelus prayer on July 9. This is the full list: […]

Over half million Germans left Catholic Church in 2022

522,821 German Catholics left the Church in 2022, the German bishops’ conference announced on June 28–up from 359,338 in 2021, 221,390 in 2020, and 272,771 in 2019. There are 20,937,590 Catho-lics in Germany, nearly one-quarter of the nation’s population. With the loosening of pandemic restrictions, Sunday Mass attendance increased from 4.3% in 2021 to 5.7% […]

Report claims 700 Christians killed as ‘farewell gift’ to Nigeria’s ex-president

A leading Nigerian human rights organization has published a report claiming that largely Muslim Fulani herdsmen killed about 700 Christians in May as “farewell gifts” to former President Muhamadu Buhari. Buhari handed over power to new President Bola Tinubu on May 29, but the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law in a […]

New report: More than 50% of people live in a country with serious religious persecution

More than half of the global population lives in a country in which state or non-state actors actively persecute people for their religious beliefs, according to the 2023 Religious Freedom in the World report. The report was released on the first day of Religious Freedom Week, in which the U.S. Catholic bishops have invited Catholics […]

In snub to Russia, Ukraine’s Orthodox Church moves Christmas to Dec. 25

In a decision seen as an act of defiance towards the Russian Orthodox Church, which also has the effect of promoting closer ties with Roman Catholics and other Western branches of Christianity, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has decided to move Christmas to Dec. 25. Traditionally, Ukrainian Christians, the bulk of whom are Orthodox, have […]

Good News from Iran: A Million New Christian Believers

What first comes into your mind when you see the word “Iran” in the headlines? Some of us immediately reflect on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s relentless efforts to develop a nuclear weapon, while their go-vernment-sponsored mobs chant, “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” For others, it’s Iran’s relentless military aggression in the Middle […]

Ringing in a new era: the historic return of Nazi-plundered bells to Poland

This past weekend, a Ger-man bishop and a German state premier took part in an initiative to bring bells stolen by the Nazis during World War II to their rightful homes in Poland. Bishop Gebhard Fürst of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart and Baden-Württemberg’s pre-mier, Winfried Kretschmann, completed the act of repatriation, which spanned three different […]

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

Goans oppose tourism project near 16th century basilica