Pope Francis led thousands of pilgrims in prayer as clashes in Venezuela continue due to a government decision to change the country’s constitution. “I call for an end to the violence and that a peaceful and democratic solution may be found,” the Pope said during his Angelus address last Sunday. Almost 100 people have died…
Category: World Report
‘No dialogue’ says bishop as terrorists hold priest
A Catholic bishop in the southern Philippine city of Marawi dismissed as “ridiculous” proposals to negotiate for the release of a priest held captive by terrorist gunmen. Speaking at a conference in the northern province of Pangasinan, Bishop Edwin de la Pena of Marawi said “there is no way we can dialogue” with extremists, according…
Cardinal Pell shows ‘mettle’ in response to abuse charges
Cardinal Timothy Dolan has voiced his support for Cardinal George Pell who is going to Australia to face child abuse charges. From New York, Cardinal Dolan is a long-time friend of the embattled Cardinal Pell, saying his cooperation with authorities “only shows the mettle of a great man”. “I feel terribly sad for my good…
Pope defends parents wish to care for terminally ill child
The Pope has expressed his “closeness” with the parents of the terminally ill child Charlie Gard, whose parents have lost a legal battle to keep him on life-support. The 10-month-old was born in England with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, which causes progressive muscle weakness, brain damage and respiratory or liver failure. It is typically fatal.…
Vatican Roundup
Holy See demands UN stunts growth of the arms trade The Holy See has criticised the UN for its inaction to end the “proliferation” of weapons of mass destruction. Following a UN resolution on the issue six months ago, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Holy See’s Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer to the UN in New…
No one expected the Spanish inquisition
John L. Allen Jr.
Given the way German Cardinal Gerhard Müller has become identified as the Vatican’s leading in-house sceptic about Pope Francis’ cautious opening to Communion for the divorced and civilly remarried in Amoris Laetitia, it was written in the stars that when and if Müller was ever replaced as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of…
Taking Vatican II to America’s peripheries
Fr Jeffrey Kirby Last weekend and at the start of this week, the Catholic community swarmed the city of Orlando. The US Bishops’ Conference called together approximately 3,000 leaders from every sector of the Church’s life in order to listen and talk about the surprising topic of evangelisation. It might catch some folks off guard…
Smoking out Islamic militants
Smoke is seen following a Philippine Army airstrike as government troops continue their assault against Islamic militants in Marawi. The Bishop of Marawi dismissed as “ridiculous” proposals to negotiate for the release of a priest held captive by terrorist gunmen. Photo: CNS
British doctors oppose abortion without restrictions proposal
Over 1,000 British doctors and medical students have publicly opposed efforts to persuade the British Medical Association (BMA) to back abortion up to birth. Ahead of the association’s annual representative meeting, the doctors and students have signed a letter to Dr Anthea Mowat, the doctors’ union representative body chairwoman, warning that plans to decriminalise abortion…
Follow Vatican’s lead to save Venezuela, former Latin leaders say
Time is running out to solve Venezuela’s problems, two former Latin American leaders have announced, calling for the international community to follow the Vatican’s lead in tackling the crisis. Speaking in the Vatican, Bolivia’s former president Jorge Quiroga said that President Nicolas Maduro’s attempts to “put a group of his friends in what is called…