A Catholic priest in Congo said Pope Francis will be visiting the country not only to reconcile it, but also to tell the world “about the conflicts that are tearing this country apart”. The announcement of the Pope’s July 2-5 visit “sounded like the voice of the angel of the Lord to the poor shepherds…
Following complaints by survivors of sexual abuse, a German diocese has announced it will no longer cooperate with a Planned Parenthood-affiliated organisation, given accusations of “spreading paedophile-friendly views” in previous decades. As CNA Deutsch reported, the Diocese of Würzburg announced it would cease its cooperation with the abortion-supporting organisation that calls itself Pro Familia as “soon…
Astronomers discover new type of stellar explosion A newly-discovered kind of stellar explosion could be commonplace in the universe and may change people’s understanding of how eruptions in stars occur, astronomers have suggested. A micronova is a blast that lasts for just a few hours, which makes it very difficult to observe. These explosions take…
Pope’s agenda cancelled for medical check-ups Pope Francis’ agenda was cleared on Friday for needed medical checkups, a Vatican spokesperson said. Francis, who is 85 years old, has been suffering from pain in his right knee, causing him to take smaller roles in some Vatican liturgies and to remain seated more often. “The Pope has…
David Agren Local crime bosses were the first to greet Bishop Salvador Rangel Mendoza when he arrived in the oft-violent Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa for his 2015 installation. They insisted on immediately breaking bread with the bishop. “It was an accidental thing,” Bishop Rangel said of the inauspicious arrival. “They told me ‘not to worry about…
Charlotte Vard Young people face many new challenges that some adults who are of a different generation are not aware of. From the daily broadcast of their every move on social media, to dealing with the heightened anxiety that stems from the need to ‘fit in’, young people live life online. TikTok is often their…
The 17 Irish Martyrs by Mary McAleese (Columba Books, 2022). Thomas J. Morrisssey On 27 September 1992, Pope John Paul II beatified sixteen Irishmen and one Irish woman. They are the 17 about whom sometime president of Ireland Dr Mary McAleese writes in her latest book. Each one of them chose to die a martyr rather…
A Catholic priest was expelled from Russia without explanation, amid fears for the well-being of other clergy ministering in the country. Fr Fernando Vera, a Mexican member of Opus Dei, left Russia in mid-April after being told his residence permit was revoked. Fr Kirill Gorbunov, spokesman for the Russian bishops’ conference, told Catholic News Service…
Naming of the Bones by John F. Deane (Carcanet Press, £12.99/€14.95) Thomas McCarthy A founder of Poetry Ireland and Dedalus Press, as well as Secretary-General of the European Academy of Poetry, Achill native John F. Deane is highly unusual among our great humanist horde of world poets in that he has remained a man of…
Peru’s Catholic bishops published a two-page plea to the country’s leaders, urging them to address the current political crisis with “greater responsibility” and take “radical measures” to fight corruption. “Our weak democracy cannot stand the instability any longer,” the bishops wrote. “It is crucial that both the executive branch and the legislative branch bring together people who…