Dozens of priests from Indonesia have quit their posts after accusing a bishop of embezzling $100,000 (€89,000) of church funds for personal use. Almost 70 priests from the Catholic island Flores, in the Reuteng Diocese, submitted letters of resignation after demanding that Bishop Hubertus Leteng complies with a complete change of how the diocese is…
Category: World Report
Child protection experts graduate from Rome university
Twenty-four students from 18 countries graduated from Rome’s Jesuit university last week, and will return to their dioceses to strengthen or kick-start child protection policies. The graduates studied in the Centre for Child Protection’s intensive programme at the Pontifical Gregorian University. The ceremony, at the Gregorian University, included a panel discussion with five post-doctoral students…
Pope discusses terrorism, poverty and climate with Angela Merkel
Pope Francis and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the responsibility of the international community to address poverty and hunger worldwide. In the meeting on June 17 in the Vatican, they discussed the G20 meeting in Hamburg, climate change and the threats of global terrorism. A statement released by the Vatican said: “Special remembrance was reserved…
Vatican releases online survey for young people
The Vatican has released an online questionnaire for young people in preparation for the Synod of Bishops on youth in 2018. The survey aims to better understand the lives, attitudes and concerns of young men and women aged 16-29 around the world. The answers to the questionnaire will provide the basis for a working document…
Church aids students affected by London fire
Church agencies are helping London Catholic school students cope with the trauma of the Grenfell Tower fire. With pupils confirmed missing and the death toll rising the tragedy devastated the local community. John Paul Morrison, the Director of Education for the Archdiocese of Westminster, said the archdiocese was offering counselling to students. “What they have…
Pope calls for moment of silence after devastating Portuguese infernos
Pope Francis expressed his “closeness” to the people of Portugal after deadly forest fires killed over 60 people. After reciting the Marian prayer last Sunday in St Peter’s Square, the Pope mentioned the disaster, which occurred in the south-east of Coimbra. Three days of national mourning were declared after a severe heatwave, with temperatures in…
Southern Africa celebrates 200 years of Catholicism
The Catholic Church in Southern Africa will celebrate 200 years of existence for a whole year beginning this month. An inaugural Mass of Thanksgiving will be held in Cape Town’s St Mary’s Cathedral of Our Lady of the Flight into Egypt on June 25, which will begin the celebrations. On June 7, 1818, Pope Pius…
Religious leader condemn attack at London mosque
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, along with several religious leaders, has condemned the attack on Muslims in London this week. A white van was driven into a group of people who had just left the Muslim Welfare House in Finsbury Park, killing one man and injuring up to 10. A 47-year-old man was detained by people at…
Catholic nun charged with abduction
A Catholic nun has been charged with abducting tribal girls for religious conversion in India. Sr Beena Joseph, a member of the Carmelite Sisters of St Teresa congregation, was on her way to the Madhya Pradesh state capital of Bhopal from the eastern state of Jharkhand along with four tribal girls. She was accused of taking…
Chinese officials force Muslims to eat during Ramadan
Weeks into Ramadan, authorities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang have punished at least 100 ethnic minority Muslims for breaking the Chinese Communist Party’s ruling. The party have put restrictions on observance of the religious fasting month, an exile group said. Since Muslims in China began observing dawn-to-dusk fasting and other restrictions last month the…