Pope Francis visited a summer festival at an amusement park last Wednesday. The Holy See Press Office says Francis made the journey to visit Sister Geneviève Jeanningros (81) of the Little Sisters of Jesus who has been caring for homosexuals and transgender people at the park for 56 years. Jeanningros lives at the park with Read more
The bishop of Nigeria’s Diocese of Lokoja has withdrawn the ordination certificates of four men he ordained as deacons on July 12 after it was revealed he had been presented with allegedly forged documents claiming the men were qualified for holy orders. In a statement issued July 30, Bishop Martin Dada Olorunmolu revoked the four Read more
In anticipation of the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris, seven French pilgrimages began on July 28, and they will meet at the medieval Catholic cathedral in September. The legendary church’s reopening “is a historic moment and an opportunity to march behind the Blessed Virgin,” reads the Les 7 Routes Notre-Dame website. Named for the Blessed Read more
Indonesia’s anti-terror agency examined security arrangements at Our Lady of Assumption Cathedral in the capital, Jakarta, on Aug 1. Pope Francis will visit the cathedral in September. National Counterterrorism Agency officials inspected the cathedral after police arrested a terror suspect in Malang, East Java, who allegedly planned to attack two houses of worship. “The goal Read more
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Orthodox Church have issued a joint statement on adding the Filioque clause to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, a theological issue that has divided the Eastern and Western Church traditions for almost a thousand years. The word ‘filioque’ (‘and the Son’ in English) to describe the procession of the Holy Read more
The creative force behind the Paris Olympics opening ceremony has rebuffed criticism that his innovative production crossed boundaries, saying that it generated a “cloud of love and tolerance”. Thomas Jolly, the 42-year-old mastermind of the ceremony, addressed the controversy surrounding one of the most debated scenes which featured a nearly nude performer. He firmly denied Read more
Seminarians in Africa are not allowed “to be themselves”. They must find ways “to get by” Father Augustine Anwuchie from Nigeria said on July 19. He was speaking during the latest of a series of digital meetings with theologians and other experts in Africa. The meetings aim to deepen understanding of the Synod on Synodality Read more
The priest who removed a cherished painting from a parish church is forcing at least one parishioner to confront an unthinkable – the choice between her cultural identity and her faith. Anne Marie Brillante, a member of the Mescalero Apache tribe in New Mexico, says the recent removal of a cherished painting from St Joseph Read more
Christian persecution is systematic in Russian-occupied Ukraine, the US Helsinki Commission heard in Washington last week. Russia’s government also persecutes other faith communities in the war-torn country. Desecration, violence Ukrainian military chaplain Mark Sergeev was a youth pastor until Russian troops seized his home town. Sergeev said that Russian troops terrorised him and his nine-year Read more
Nuclear weapons already pose a deeply concerning “existential threat” to the world says the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the UN, Archbishop Ettore Balestrero. He told the UN committee on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons that the threat is especially dangerous today. He highlighted the global increase in rhetoric and threats about nuclear weapons’ use, Read more