Step into Saint Joseph Academy and the only technology you’ll find are a few computers in the teachers’ lounge. That’s because the newly opened Catholic school is choosing to go as tech-free as possible. “It’s also very cool to see their natural curiosities when they don’t have a screen in front of them and to Read more
World
Catholic boarding school to close due to tax change
Thursday, September 5th, 2024A Roman Catholic boarding school in the UK has become one of the first of its kind to close in the face of Labour’s VAT raid on private education. The tax change is cited as a factor in the shutdown of Kilgraston School, near Bridge of Earn, Perthshire, on Tuesday. Local authorities are now rushing Read more
Shortage of RE teachers will have ‘profound’ effect on Catholic schools
Thursday, September 5th, 2024A leading Catholic RE teacher has warned that the shortage of RE teachers will have a “profound effect” on Catholic schools and urged the Department for Education to support the recruitment of more RE specialists as a new academic year begins. With government targets for recruiting RE teachers being missed in eleven of the last Read more
Vatican calls for ban on killer robots
Monday, September 2nd, 2024
The Vatican has renewed its call for international restrictions on autonomous weapons systems, often referred to as “killer robots”, as their use in conflicts such as those in Ukraine and Gaza increases. Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, the Vatican’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations in Geneva, pushed for the move, highlighting the moral implications of allowing Read more
Catholic university researches future of lay governance in Church
Monday, September 2nd, 2024
Australian Catholic University (ACU) has launched a research project focused on exploring lay governance models within the Catholic Church, particularly in the context of a synodal Church. The initiative, led by ACU theologians and a prominent governance expert, aims to examine the evolving role of lay leadership in Church governance. The research will focus on Read more
Vatican hails 95 year old China bishop’s recognition as diplomatic win
Monday, September 2nd, 2024
In a move seen as a significant step in Sino-Vatican relations, the Chinese government has officially recognised Bishop Melchior Shi Hongzhen as the bishop of Tianjin. The Vatican portrays this development as a victory for Pope Francis’s ongoing efforts to engage with China. Bishop Shi, 95, has long resisted joining the state-sanctioned church. This led Read more
Faith in God must lead to care of creation
Monday, September 2nd, 2024
Pope Francis is well known for his strong views about faith and protecting God’s creation. The Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople is of the same view. Faith in God comes with two “inseparable” elements, Bartholomew said on Sunday which was the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation He said these two Read more
Priestly vocations in Ireland are growing
Monday, September 2nd, 2024
Priestly vocations in Ireland are experiencing a modest yet significant development, with a slight uptick in the number of men answering the call to priesthood. This trend is being hailed as a hopeful sign amid ongoing challenges in meeting the pastoral and sacramental needs of the country’s parishes. At present, at least 26 seminarians from Read more
Bishop Schneider launches new AI Tool for reliable Catholic teaching
Monday, September 2nd, 2024Conservative bishop and opponent of Pope Francis, Bishop Athanasius Schneider has republished dozens of historical catechisms a their twenty-volume collection. Schneider and his team edited his own catechism, Credo: Compendium of the Catholic Faith, launched in Rome in 2023 and hailed as “the book of the century” for its doctrinal integrity and clarity on key Read more
Teresa of Ávila’s body still incorrupt over 400 years after her death
Monday, September 2nd, 2024The silver coffin of St Teresa of Ávila was opened in Alba de Tormes on August 28 only to confirm her body has remained incorrupt since her death in 1592. The opening of her tomb marks the beginning of a study of her relics, which will be carried out by Italian doctors and scientists — Read more