Writing at thedailybeast.com, Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry – a writer and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Centre in Washington DC – celebrates the resignation of Kansas City’s controversial Bishop Robert W. Finn, describing it as “a watershed moment in the history of the Catholic Church”. Open to the possibility that Dr Finn is “a good…
Courtney McGrail
Günter Grass (1927 – 2015)
With the death of Günter Grass, the author of The Tin Drum, an epoch of German literature comes to a close. Born in the Free City of Danzig, in what is now a symbolic part of Poland, Grass was reared a Catholic. Though he ceased in adulthood to be a church-goer, his upbringing marked all…
Christians have a duty to protect marriage, warns Pope
Christians have a duty to protect marriage as a covenant between man and woman, according to Pope Francis. Continuing his series of Wednesday audiences on creation and the family, the Pontiff said sin can generate distrust and division between men and women, whose relationship can be “undermined by a thousand forms of abuse and subjugation”.…
US group wants Catholic agencies to provide abortion or abandon their state roles
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has sued the US government in a bid to force Catholic agencies to choose between providing abortions for illegal immigrants and ceasing to work with the government in caring for vulnerable immigrants. The ACLU claims that shelters run by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have on…
African bishops slam racist violence in Durban
The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference has spoken out against “xenophobic violence” in Durban, in statement signed by conference spokesman, Pretoria’s Archbishop William Slattery. Five of South Africa’s 50 million inhabitants are from such troubled countries as Somalia, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and even Pakistan. Tensions between natives and immigrants due to high unemployment led to violence…
Cameroon suffering violence at the hands of Boko Haram daily
Islamist terrorist violence such as Paris experienced in January is a daily reality in Cameroon, according to Maroua-Mokolo’s Bishop Bruno Ateba (pictured). “What happened in Paris during the attacks there is something we experience here every day, and yet nobody in the world says anything about it,” he told the Catholic agency Aid to the…
Survey shows Confession is an annual event for some priests
54% of German priests go to Confession no more than once a year, and 42% don’t pray – outside of Mass or the Divine Office – even once a day, according to a survey released by the German bishops’ conference. 8,600 German Catholics including about 4,200 priests from 22 dioceses, were surveyed between 2012 and…
Vatican Round-up
Pope to visit Cuba enroute to the USA in September Pope Francis will visit Cuba on his way to the United States this September, according to Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi, who said the Holy Father has “received and accepted the invitation from the civil authorities and bishops of Cuba”. Visiting both countries on the…
Bealtaine festival celebrates 20 years
This year marks the 20th Bealtaine festival. Organised by Age & Opportunity the annual festival celebrates creativity as we age and is believed to be the world’s first of its kind. Bealtaine has grown to be one of the country’s biggest arts festivals, with an estimate 120,000 people taking part in this event. All across…
Vocations evening draws large numbers in Armagh
The Synod Hall in Armagh was packed to capacity as people gathered for a special evening: “Great people, great stories, come and listen.” The evening, organised by the Diocesan Vocations Team, saw two people sharing their vocation stories. The first speaker was Bro. Ronan Lennon, a St John of God Brother who has worked in…