Caritas Luxembourg has created a crisis committee after disclosing around 61 million euros (circa NZ$111 million) is missing from its accounts. The Catholic charity is a member of Caritas Internationalis – confederation of Catholic relief groups. It is one of Luxembourg’s largest charities. Caritas Luxembourg says it is providing counselling for its almost 500 employees. Read more
In Northern Ireland, Catholic councillors may find they have a potential conflict of interest. The rules in Northern Ireland demand councillors complete a ‘Declaration of Interest’ that could potentially influence their decision-making in chambers. Declaration of Interest confusing One councillor says he was confused as to how to complete the Declaration of Interest correctly. “I Read more
Dozens of technologists and Catholics gathered at Microsoft in Redmond for a conversation about ethics in artificial intelligence between an “unlikely pair,” as they were introduced: a papal adviser and the head of Microsoft. Father Paolo Benanti, a member of the United Nations’ advisory body on AI and adviser to Pope Francis on ethics and Read more
At least 11 churchmen have been detained by police and paramilitaries over a weeklong assault in northern Nicaragua, depleting the already demoralised Diocese of Matagalpa — whose leader, Bishop Rolando Álvarez, lives in exile. Nine priests and a deacon were detained on Aug 1 and 2 — with some taken from parishes and parish residences Read more
The Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees, Bishop Paul McAleenan, has condemned the riots that have taken place across the UK, saying such violence threatens the values of our society. “I condemn the appalling violence over the past week, especially that directed at migrants and their places of residence,” said Bishop McAleenan. “They demonstrate a Read more
Two animal rights activists briefly stormed Pope Francis’ general audience in the Vatican on Wednesday to protest against bullfighting. The activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) climbed over barriers from the pews into the aisle of the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall. They wore T-shirts that read “stop blessing corridas” and held Read more
Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller’s term as prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) ended in 2017 due to a financial investigation, according to a report by “The Pillar”. The investigation, initiated by the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Economy under Cardinal George Pell, revealed that large sums of cash and unclear money Read more
The Vatican’s handling of the women deacon issue is drawing criticism as the October Synod of Bishops approaches, with calls for greater transparency intensifying. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg, a key organiser of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality, has called for sincere dialogue on women’s roles in the Church. Hollerich said that as a Read more
The Vatican has condemned a scene from the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony that appeared to mock the Last Supper. Many Christians have found the scene offensive. The ceremony, which took place on July 26, featured drag queens portraying apostles and a lesbian DJ depicted as Jesus. The display seemingly mocked Leonardo da Vinci’s painting Read more
Evangelisation needs to take place where the people are. Doing so is succeeding beyond a UK archdiocese’s wildest expectations. The new “Some Definite Service” programme is working, say Catholics in the Southwark archdiocese. They say the programme is behind the 450 adults who completed the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) course this year. Read more