Pope meeting off as patriarch cancels Kazakhstan visit Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who was expected to meet Pope Francis at the Congress of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan, will not attend the interreligious gathering in September, a senior Russian Orthodox bishop said. Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, head of external relations for the Russian Orthodox…

Catholic nuns from a missionary order in the Philippines have denounced a criminal charge accusing them of financing terrorism and violating the country’s anti-terrorism law. Ucanews.com reported the nuns from the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines issued a statement August 18 to denounce the criminal charge filed by the Department of Justice. The nuns termed…

Lima, Amid a political crisis in which the president, his wife and members of her family are accused of corruption and taking bribes, Peru’s bishops have called for dialogue and a commitment to uphold democratic institutions. At a news conference August 18, the bishops issued a statement calling for “an urgent and creative solution” in the face…

Francisco Moreno Barrón, the archbishop of Tijuana, Mexico, across the border from metro San Diego in the United States, condemned the 20 attacks carried out in several towns in the state of Baja California. The archbishop issued an August 13 statement regarding the public transportation vehicles set on fire by armed men on the afternoon…

Sri Lankan priest involved in protests granted bail A priest involved in the recent protests in Sri Lanka has been granted bail after being accused of several criminal offenses. Fr Amila Jeewantha Peiris appeared in the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court on August 12 and was granted bail thanks to two personal sureties of 500,000 Sri…

A new report from the United Nations on modern slavery provides further documentation of China’s mistreatment of the Uyghur ethnic group, a Muslim minority that according to some human rights groups is suffering genocide. The UN’s Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, Dr Tomoya Obokata, wrote that it is “reasonable to conclude” that forced…

At least two Spanish archdioceses have expressed their support for the Church in Nicaragua, which is being persecuted by dictator Daniel Ortega, with messages of solidarity on social media, especially for the Bishop of Matagalpa, Rolando José Álvarez. Spain’s primatial archdiocese of Toledo, said on Twitter  “We entrust the entire Diocese of Matagalpa (to God)…

Vatican says not enough evidence to try cardinal for sexual assault A preliminary Vatican investigation into allegations against Cardinal Marc Ouellet concluded there was not sufficient evidence to warrant opening up formal proceedings against the cardinal for sexual assault, a Vatican spokesman said. However, the Jesuit who did the investigation was a long-time associate of…

A fire ripped through a packed Coptic Orthodox church during morning services in Egypt’s capital on Sunday, quickly filling it with thick black smoke and killing 41 worshippers, including at least 15 children. Several trapped congregants jumped from upper floors of the Martyr Abu Sefein church to try to escape the intense flames, witnesses said.…