Iran – Four Christians have been sentenced to flogging after police discovered them consuming wine during a communion service at their house church. Behzad Taalipasand, Mehdi Reza Omidi, Mehdi Dadkhah and Amir Hatemi will receive 80 lashes each for the offence, despite the constitutional protections supposedly offered to non-Muslim worship in Iran. Commenting on the…

Process ‘loaded against Catholic education’

Pope Francis has welcomed America's new Ambassador to the Holy See, Kenneth F. Hackett, who presented his credentials in Rome on October 21. Ambassador Hackett is a former president of Catholic Relief Services, the US bishopsí overseas relief and development agency, which he first joined in 1972. He retired as president of CRS in December…

The Church of Ireland has become embroiled in a major internal row following allegations of sectarianism from one of its leading prelates. Last week, as he addressed annual diocesan synods of his Church, Archbishop Michael Jackson of Dublin related his own “bitter experience” of sectarianism within his Church, stressing that “sectarianism is alive” in the…

The Vatican has announced that it has requested an independent investigation of its own accounting offices, the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA). With initiatives already well underway to boost the Vatican Bankís image in the wake of recent scandals, action on APSA has become almost inevitable following the June arrest of…

RTÉ broadcaster Marty Whelan has spoken of the strength he gained from his faith following the recent death of his mother. Speaking on the last episode of Beyond Belief for this season, to be broadcast on RTÉ 1 next Monday night, Whelan says: “I am a believer, absolutely. I have a great faith in God.”…

Pope Francis is to auction his Harley Davidson motorcycle to raise funds for a soup kitchen feeding Romeís homeless people. The motorcycle is one of two donated by the famed American bike-builder in June to mark the companyís 110th anniversary. Its sale is intended to benefit the work of the Don Luigi di Liegro hostel…

Archbishop Eamon Martin gives final faith talk

For the first time, the annual Lenten Retreat for the Roman Curia will take place outside Rome. The decision to move the retreat has been taken by Pope Francis himself, who has explained his decision as a desire to find a location which would encourage silence and contemplation beyond the work settings of the Vatican.…

Head of Little Sisters of the Poor makes pastoral visit