Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of two Latin American bishops more than a decade ahead of their canonical retirement ages. Clergy in Passo Fundo, Brazil, had criticised Archbishop Antonio Carlos Altieri, 63, for spending €550,000 on renovations to his home and offices, introducing a 10% diocesan “assessment” on parish income, and accepting seminarians who…

Bethany Beyond the Jordan, on the eastern side of the river Jordan, has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site and the location of Jesus’ baptism. Pope St John Paul II first visited the spot in 2000, with Pope Benedict XVI following him in 2009 and Pope Francis doing so last year. The…

Boko Haram is losing ground in Nigeria and “no longer controls towns and villages”, according to Fr Patrick Tor Alumuku, director of Social Communications in the Archdiocese of Abuja. “Boko Haram is no longer what it was once, it is no longer able to occupy entire areas. Its men are hiding in the forest in…

Arab Christians are increasingly distressed by a rise in kidnappings of clergy and laity in Syria and Iraq. Just days after the unexpected release of Iraqi Franciscan Fr Dhiya Aziz, Melkite Fr Tony Boutros and his Muslim driver were reported missing by the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The watchdog said the priest serving…

Meeting of mayors to empower the world’s poor The Vatican has held two conferences on climate change, human trafficking and sustainable development. The July 21-22 meetings, which brought together mayors from around the world, addressed how cities can help contribute to the solution of some of these problems facing humanity. “Modern Slavery and Climate Change:…

Bishop John McAreavey has condemned the attempt at the weekend to lure and murder police officers in Lurgan. The Bishop of Dromore said those who attempted to kill police officers “have nothing to offer the people of Northern Ireland but despair and death”. “The day of the bomb and the bullet has no place in…

A Benedictine monk from Kerala in India who was visiting Portlaoise was injured in an attack on Saturday July 18.  Bro. Dominic Savio answered a call at the front door at about 11:30 at night, only to be pushed inside by two attackers bearing knives. A knife was held to his throat, and he was…

The Pro Life Campaign (PLC) has called on the Government “urgently” to address the homeless crisis in Dublin in light of a recent report that at least 17 pregnant women are homeless in the city at present. Claiming that senior politicians “have known about this shameful reality for quite some time”, Sinead Slattery of the…

Members of Young Fine Gael have rejected a motion calling on RTÉ to extend rather than discontinue the Angelus programme broadcast daily at noon and 6pm on radio and television. As well as calling on RTÉ to continue to broadcast the Angelus, the proposed motion wanted the programme to be extended to two minutes. Delegates…

Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh has praised the “witness” of the Pioneers at a time when “excessive drinking and other addictions continue to cause so much hurt and destruction in many Irish homes and families”.  In his homily to mark the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association’s annual pilgrimage to Knock, Archbishop Eamon said he wanted to…