Indian Jesuit Fr Stan Swamy marked 100 days in prison with a letter highlighting the cases of poor people languishing in jail who begin their trials without even knowing their criminal charges. Ucanews.com reported on January 25 that in his letter to Jesuit colleagues, the 84-year-old priest also expressed gratitude for the “overwhelming” solidarity of…
Pontifical Academy for Life say no to ‘vaccine nationalism’ The Pontifical Academy for Life has stressed the importance of overcoming “vaccine nationalism” so that everyone can have the opportunity of being vaccinated and nobody is left behind in the fight against Covid-19. A statement from the Academy warns that “faced with the very serious problems…
Cathedral soup kitchen feeds Seoul’s homeless The Seoul archdiocese is helping homeless people with a soup kitchen run out of Myongdong Cathedral. The energy and chemicals division of SK Group, the third-largest conglomerate in South Korea, is sponsoring the programme by supporting 1,400 packed lunches each week. Lunches are served to homeless people every Wednesday,…
Dr Anthony Fauci told the World Health Organization’s (WHO) executive board January 21 that “in the coming days”, President Joe Biden will revoke the so-called “Mexico City policy”, which blocks US funding of foreign nongovernmental organisations that perform and promote abortion as a form of family planning. Women’s health The action will be part of…
At least 750 people are reported dead after an attack on an Oriental Orthodox church in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, according to a European watch-group. Lost ark On January 9, the Europe External Programme with Africa reported that the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion in Axum, about 80 miles west of Adigrat, had been…
An association of Spanish education advocates will appeal to the European Union to prevent Spain’s socialist government from implementing an education law that will restrict the exercise of the rights of parents in deciding their children’s education. The law, approved by the Spanish parliament December 23, 2020 prevents parents from choosing religious schools for their…
Catholics in public life, saints and sainthood candidates, figures from US history, military heroes, leaders in science, politicians and athletes were included in a list of dozens of figures President Donald Trump said will be in a new National Garden of American Heroes he created by executive order January 18. The garden “will be built…
At least four people have now died after an explosion destroyed a parish building in the Spanish capital, Madrid, with a gas leak cited as a possible cause. The victims included a recently ordained Catholic priest who died in hospital early Thursday morning. Fr Rubén Pérez Ayala was ordained to the priesthood last June. His…
Homeless people receive Covid-19 vaccine in the Vatican Pope Francis is working to ensure that poor people who are assisted by Holy See facilities for the homeless be offered the possibility of being vaccinated against Covid-19. A statement released on Wednesday by the Holy See Press Office said that 25 homeless persons were inoculated with…
Nigerian priest abducted for ransom found dead The body of Fr John Gbakaan, a Catholic parish priest in Nigeria, was found dead with machete wounds on January 16, a day after armed men kidnapped him and demanded ransom. Fr Gbakaan, the parish priest of the Saint Anthony Church in Gulu in Minna diocese, was kidnapped…