Catholic women religious and 20 US bishops have joined an interfaith coalition opposing President Donald Trump’s proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” calling it a “moral failure” that would deepen poverty and harm the vulnerable. On June 25, more than 60 congregations of women religious protested outside the US Capitol under the banner “Sisters Speak Out,”…
Scandal in Seville? The restoration of the Madonna “Macarena” outrages believers. Instead of care, the figure of the Virgin Mary was given make-up and eyelashes. Now Spain is debating. There is a great deal of excitement in Seville: the appearance of the famous statue of the Virgin de la Esperanza Macarena is causing heated discussions.…
By Julieann Moran In this Jubilee Year, we are invited to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, purposeful travellers on a path guided by the Holy Spirit. That path, for the Church today, is called ‘synodality’. But what is Synodality? Synodality is the way the Church listens, discerns, and walks together. For me, synodality is not simply…
Christians in Syria are reeling after a suicide bombing struck a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus during a June 22 Divine Liturgy. At least 20 were killed and more than 60 injured on Sunday after an attacker, reported to be armed and wearing an explosive vest, entered Mar Elias church in the city’s Dweila neighbourhood.…
For almost a year now, the Via Appia Antica has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To this day, the 2,340-year-old road is an important traffic artery from Rome to southern Italy – and holds exciting archaeological evidence. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a church around 50 kilometres south of Rome, which could provide…
An attacker has caused a bloodbath in a church in Syria. So far, at least 22 people have been killed and more than 50 injured. Bishop Bätzing expresses his shock and calls for the protection of all Christians. Following the suicide attack on a church in Syria, Bishop Georg Bätzing is calling for better protection…
Orthodox churches in the USA are joining the lawsuit filed by Catholic bishops against a new anti-abuse law in Washington state. It is intended to oblige clergy of all religions to report cases of child abuse – even if they were disclosed during a confession. Now – among others – the Orthodox Church in America…
The Austrian Pilgrim Hospice in the Old City of Jerusalem is the oldest Christian guest house in the Holy City. Sealed off and emptied of guests, it is now in a difficult financial situation. The renowned Austrian Hospice in Jerusalem’s Old City has been forced to temporarily cease operations due to the war between Israel…
Search operations continue, but hope is fading. Dozens of people are believed to have died off the coast of Libya while trying to reach Europe. More than 60 migrants are missing after two shipwrecks off the coast of Libya. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) assumes that dozens have died, as it announced on Wednesday…
Paolo Affatato The watchword: harmony. For 79-year-old Pakistani Cardinal Joseph Coutts, a musical metaphor best expresses his vision, his evangelical spirit — indeed, his very faith. It is also how he looks to the future of Christians in Pakistan: with hope, through harmony. “Harmony” is the word he chose as his episcopal motto — not…