Scottish Catholic bishops have criticised legislation establishing so-called “buffer zones” around abortion facilities, warning it represents a serious erosion of civil and religious freedoms. In a recent statement, the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland said the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act 2024 “restricts free speech, free expression, and freedom of religion in ways that should…
A Nigerian bishop urged intensified military action to “eliminate” bandits and their hideouts in the Kainji Game Reserve amid reports of the killing of 50 people between Christmas and New Year’s and traumatizing of children recently abducted from St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri. Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Kontagora recounted multiple attacks on both Christians…
The Catholic Church formally concluded the Jubilee Year of Hope with the closing of the Holy Doors of Rome’s four papal basilicas, culminating on January 6 with the sealing of the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica by Pope Leo XIV. After a jubilee year not seen for centuries — with one pope opening the…
Pope Leo XIV and the bishops of Venezuela have urged prayer, calm and respect for national sovereignty following the US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transferred them to the United States to face federal narcoterrorism charges. Speaking at the conclusion of the Angelus prayer in St…
Pope Leo XIV urged young people to remain open to God’s call in a video message to thousands attending the SEEK 2026 conference, took place January 1–5 in Columbus, Ohio, Denver and Fort Worth, Texas. “Be open to what the Lord has in store for you,” the Pope said, encouraging participants to reflect on the…
Long consultations and many discussions – also with Rome – lie behind those responsible. In Fulda, bishops and lay people now want to lay the foundation stone for a new church body at national level. The Catholic Church in Germany may soon have a new national body made up of bishops and laypeople. “We are…
Leo XIV has 1,300 special guests on Sunday: homeless people, refugees and other marginalised people. Among them was a transgender activist – an acquaintance of Pope Francis. Rome (KNA) A first for the Pope: according to media reports, Leo XIV will also receive five trans people for lunch on Sunday. The meeting in the Vatican…
A hurricane has caused enormous damage in the Caribbean. An internationally important place of pilgrimage is also affected. The Archdiocese of Santiago is deeply shocked. Hurricane “Melissa” has also affected one of the most important Marian shrines in Latin America in the Caribbean. Social media posts show damage to the El Cobre pilgrimage church in…
Four Muslims who save Jews and a Jewish woman who holds on to Catholic-Jewish dialogue in the most difficult of times: On Sunday, they were presented with the “Mount Zion Award” by the Jerusalem Benedictines. A Jewish historian and four Bedouins are the winners of this year’s “Mount Zion Award”, which was presented on Sunday…
Shortly after Pope Leo XIV lamented the declining birth rate in Europe, the cardinal of Tokyo said Japan is also facing a similar crisis. In Rome, Japanese Cardinal Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo said Japan’s birth rate has been significantly low in recent years, with the total fertility rate standing at 1.15 per woman in 2024.…