International

Celibacy not ‘divine law’ for priests, but promotes holiness, speakers say

The requirement that most priests in the Latin rite of the Catholic Church be celibate has theological and spiritual foundations and not only practical motivations, said speakers at an international conference on priesthood. Jesus’ chastity, poverty and obedience were not “incidental or simply functional,” but expressed his total union with God and dedication to the […]

Religious repression in Hong Kong could soon worsen, Christian cleric warns

Speaking anonymously during an online discussion, a Christian cleric in Hong Kong said he thinks it is likely that greater repression by the Chinese government of religious freedom in Hong Kong, particularly the freedom of religious schools, is about to occur. The cleric, identified only as Reverend L, told the Hudson Institute’s Nina Shea on […]

We have reduced costs and will show our accounts to Bishops’ Conferences

“To help the economy of the Holy See to meet its needs, taking care that economic activity does not distract or detract from the credibility of the Holy See’s mission of fostering unity in charity and the evangelising mission of the Church, which is what matters.” In this interview with Vatican Media, Guerrero offers some […]

Top European cardinals want changes on homosexuality, priestly celibacy

Over the past week, two leading European Cardinals, both of whom enjoy broad favour with Pope Francis, have made public statements calling for a change in the Catholic Church’s current position on the issues of homo-sexuality and priestly celibacy. In an interview published in Germany’s Catholic News Agency (KNA) earlier this week, Jesuit Cardinal Jean […]

Can Cardinal Hollerich help to reconcile the German ‘Synodal Way’ with the global synodal process?

The German “Synodal Way” is moving forward boldly following a decisive meeting in Frankfurt at the start of February. But one important question remains unanswered: how does the initiative fit in with the two-year global synodal process launched by Pope Francis leading up to the 2023 Synod on Synodality? Bishop Georg Bätzing, chairman of the […]

Germany’s Synodal Assembly calls for change on deacons, bishops’ selection

The Synodal Path of the Catholic Church in Germany wants laypeople to be able to participate in choosing bishops and wants the church to have women deacons. The third Synodal Assembly to bring about reforms to the Catholic Church ended Feb. 5 with the first concrete decisions of the process. Most German bishops signalled they […]

Pakistani Pastors Ambushed by Gunmen While Driving from Church

A Church of Pakistan lay pastor was gunned down and a priest wounded by unknown assailants as the leaders drove home from a worship service on Sunday in the northwestern Pakistan city of Peshawar, where Christians had suffered their deadliest attack in the country’s history nearly a decade earlier. Church of Pakistan Bishop of Peshawar […]

Egypt names first-ever Christian head of country’s top court

Egypt’s president on Wednesday swore in the first-ever Coptic Christian to head the country’s highest court. Judge Boulos Fahmy is the 19th person to preside over the Supreme Constitutional Court since it was established in 1969. President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi picked the 65-year-old Fahmy from among the court’s five oldest of 15 sitting judges, as […]

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Pope: Red Cross’ humanitarian work shows that fraternity is possible

New Vatican document lists ‘grave violations’ of human dignity