International

Milan archbishop overhauls seminary formation as numbers drop

A seven-page document out-lining the changes noted that in the five years from 2017 to 2022, the annual number of new entrants to priestly formation in the archdiocese fell from 24 to 6. Delpini, who signed the document March 25, announced the “reconfiguration” of seminary training at a Chrism Mass in Milan Cathedral April 6. […]

Trads Target Francis With Latin Mass Billboard Blitz

On March 29, dozens of posters urging the pontiff to cease his hostilities against the TLM were plastered on billboards in Roman neighbourhoods surrounding Vatican City. The posters featuring images and quotes from Pope Benedict XVI, Pope John Paul II and Pope Pius V will be displayed in Rome for 15 days in an act […]

Irish Catholicism & Mass attendance reach new low

Irish analytics and data company Amárach recently conducted a survey that found only about 14% of Irish Catholics regularly atte-nd Sunday Mass. Before Ireland’s bishops went along with the government’s draconian COVID lockdowns and church closures, only 24% of Ireland’s population attended weekly Mass. And only 59% of that 24% has return-ed, yielding an abysmal […]

Christians in Northern Nigeria living ‘under bondage,’ says archbishop

Christians are living “under bondage” in northern Nigeria, according to Archbishop Matthew Manoso Ndagoso of Kaduna, located in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where the predominantly Muslim north meets the predominantly Christian south. Kaduna State has imposed limited Sharia law in areas with a Muslim majority. Ndagoso said it is increasingly difficult to build Churches or other […]

NASA Astronaut Asks for Prayer for Moon Mission

When the Artemis 2 takes off sometime late next year, four astronauts will strap into a gumdrop-shaped capsule atop a tower of rockets taller than the Statue of Liberty. Mission control will count down 10, 9, 8, … and a controlled explosion with 8.8 million pounds of force will fire, throwing the four astronauts from […]

Vatican’s liturgy czar rejects German Church’s plans for laity to preach homilies, conduct baptisms

The Vatican’s liturgy czar has intervened against the implementation of resolutions of the German Synodal Way that demand laypeople should be able to regularly baptize and preach the homily at Mass in churches across Germany. In a letter to the German Bi-shops’ Conference president da-ted March 29, Cardinal Arthur Roche said neither was possible despite […]

China installs new bishop in Shanghai, despite local opposition

Bishop Joseph Shen Bin, 52, the erstwhile Bishop of Haimen, was installed as Shanghai’s new bishop with no formal announcement from the Vatican, or even from his own diocese before the liturgy commenced. In an unusual move, priests in Shanghai were sent last week invitations to the installation of a new bishop, who was not […]

Saudi Arabia Embraced Coptic Christmas. Could Its First Church Be Next?

Saudi Arabia stunned foreign policy observers this month by publicly agreeing to normalize relations with Iran, under Chinese sponsorship. The deal between the neighbouring Sunni and Shia arch-rivals, known for sectarian proxy fights, is expected to ease tensions within Islam. Meanwhile, the kingdom has recently taken less publicized steps toward another religious normalization: public Christian […]

Indian bishops slam terror attack on tourists in India’s Kashmir

No action taken against police who assaulted Catholic priests in India