An online publication has rebuked claims that a recent investigative report into an international pro-life group was fuelled by bias. Heartbeat International (HBI) had issued a statement on February 13 which said that an investigation into their crisis pregnancy centres throughout the world by openDemocracy was swayed by pro-choice bias. However, openDemocracy said that HBI’s…

UNICEF has warned that critical reintegration programmes for children released from armed forces and groups in Sudan may be forced to shut down in March due to lack of funding. Around 900 children are registered for release, but without new funding, UNICEF says they will not be able to provide support as they transition to…

Two priests in the Philippines have avoided jail time by posting bail after they were charged with trying to destabilise the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. Fr Albert Alejo and Fr Flavie Villanueva were indicted in connection with an online video linking President Duterte and his family to illegal activity. The Philippines Department of Justice last…

Beware
 of
 slide
 into
 worldliness
 –
Pope Pope Francis warned against letting our hearts wander unwittingly into “apostasy”, stressing that we lose loyalty to God when “relativising” and negotiating with money, vanity and pride. The Pontiff cited the story of King Solomon, who turns away from the Lord in his old age, in his homily at…

Cross demolisher to oversee Hong Kong, Macau affairs The architect of the cross removal and Church destruction campaign in the China province of Zhejiang has been appointed Head of the Office of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs. Xia Baolong, 67, is an ally of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and in 2013 became the Communist Party’s…

Pope Francis has appealed for the protection of women and children fleeing violence in Syria, where more than half a million people have been displaced in the past two months. Around 520,000 have been displaced from their homes since December during the Syrian government’s offensive in Idlib province – Syria’s last rebel-held territory – which…

The Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication has claimed that media has degenerated into platforms on which to disseminate hatred. Dr Paolo Ruffini said that communication is supposed to be constructive, connect people and promote understanding. However, the Vatican representative states that just as “evil cannot be fought with evil, truth cannot be served…

The Bangladesh High Court has called for the government to justify its stance on allowing prenatal gender detection technology, which groups favouring gender equality and the right to life are seeking to ban. The court stated that the government must explain its failure to regulate the technology should not be considered as illegal. Supreme Court…

Catholics have joined activists in Kerala in seeking justice for two young Dalit sisters who were raped and murdered three years ago. The protest walks and fasts saw 4,000 people urging Kerala’s government to reinvestigate the deaths of the girls near Valavar in south India. The body of one girl, aged 13, was found hanging…

Pope Francis has met and shook hands with the woman whom he lost his patience with and slapped in St. Peter’s Square on December 31. The Holy Father spoke briefly to the woman after a general audience in January during the “baciamano”; the time reserved for pilgrims to greet the Pope. In the photos, both…