Bishops in Sri Lanka have condemned a government move to allow abortion in some circumstances. Cabinet has approved presentation of a bill to parliament to legalise abortion when a pregnancy is due to rape or if a foetus is diagnosed with a “lethal” congenital malformation. The Sri Lankan bishops’ conference stressed that the Church believes…
Laugh at yourself, don’t be vain Pope tells youth Pope Francis told youth to steer clear of modern society’s narcissistic tendencies, which he referred to as a vain “illness”. The Pontiff spoke off-the-cuff to Spanish members of the Catholic Shalom Community during an audience in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall this week. He said they…
Youths from the Shalom Catholic Community pray during an audience with Pope Francis in the Pope Paul VI Hall at the Vatican. Photo: CNS
As Archbishop of Westminster for nearly a decade, 2000 until 2009, Cormac Murphy-O’Connor began his term of office embroiled in a major scandal over an abuser priest, but rode through it to become a much-loved public figure in Britain, known for his soft Irish lilt, jovial good humour, and deep compassion. He was well known…
A day after appealing for an end to the violent persecution of the Rohingya people, a Muslim minority in Myanmar, the Vatican announced Pope Francis will visit the country in late November. After the visit on November 27-30 to the cities of Yangon and Naypyitaw in Myanmar, the Pope will travel on to Dhaka, Bangladesh,…
Catholic dioceses and charities are quickly organising to help in the aftermath of a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall with heavy rains and winds of 130 miles per hour into the Rockport, Texas. The hurricane made landfall late on Friday, August 25. The National Weather Service said in a tweet two days later that…
The Indonesian government has met with Catholic bishops to discuss how a character-building programme could tackle extremism. The programme is already in place in Catholic schools, but Education Minister Muhadjir Effendy is looking into applying the same model to state-run schools. It is expected these schools will act as model schools for other institutions, providing…
Reacting to a recent video in which the Vatican and the Pope were threatened by ISIS, Cardinal Pietro Parolin said it represented “senseless hatred”. The Vatican obviously is concerned about terrorist threats and will continue to remain vigilant according to the Vatican Secretary of State. Cardinal Parolin said he had seen the most recent video…
A priest in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Paraiba was found dead in his rectory Thursday morning, with signs of having been stabbed, according to police. The body of Fr Pedro Gomes Bezerra (49) was discovered on August 24 in Borborema. His body was found wrapped in sheets in his residence, which was in shambles.…
Believers are ‘living stones’ that can build up the Church Although the Church is built upon a strong foundation, it is always in need of being reformed and repaired, Pope Francis has said. Before reciting the Angelus prayer last Sunday, Pope Francis said that Christians are the “living stones” that Christ uses to fill in…
Austen Ivereigh