In a pastoral message released in December, Cardinal Gerald Lacroix of the Archdiocese of Quebec announced a dramatic transformation in how the Catholic Church in the province should understand itself. Faced with declining resources and a faithful but increasingly small cohort of weekly Mass attendees—between 2 and 11 percent of the province, according to The Read more
A 70-year old French nun has been banned from living in a rest home because it cited a strict ban on religious garb and “ostentatious” signs of religion. The home said she must remove her religious habit if she was to live at the publicly-funded residence. Although the nun’s application to live at the home Read more
Another year, another row over French secularism and the hijab in France. This time, the debate erupted after a far-right politician asked a woman who was accompanying her son and other children on a school trip to a regional council headquarters to remove her headscarf when entering the building. It is a reminder that, for Read more
Belgian Cardinal, Jozef De Kesel discusses with “New Europe” the role of the Catholic Church in modern Europe. Today’s Europe, where pluralism and secularism have changed the dynamic between Europe’s citizens and their relationship with one of the continent’s oldest institutions. What do you think it means to be Catholic in Europe today? What are Read more
After the response to the Christchurch murders, many Australians have looked more attentively to New Zealand for wisdom. Maori religious culture provides a way of exercising public religion. Public events include traditional Maori blessings, in which all are expected to join. Read more
Religion and overt expressions of it have crept into Rugby in New Zealand says Gregor Paul. It is common now, almost a show in itself for players to have wrist bands covered in religious iconography. The cross, albeit badly drawn with marker pen, is worn across Super Rugby on any given weekend. Some players, when they Read more
The Vatican’s second-ever international conference examining the rise of atheism and secularism will be held in late May. The first conference was held in 1969 during St Pope Paul VI’s leadership. This year the Vatican is joining forces with a University of Kent research initiative to host the “Cultures of Unbelief” conference. Scholars from a Read more
(RNS) Pope Francis leaves on Monday (Oct. 31) for an overnight trip to Sweden, a historically Protestant country that today is one of the most secular in the world. The visit is to mark the start of observances of next year’s 500th anniversary of the Reformation, which traditionally dates from Oct. 31, 1517, when Martin Read more
A former president of Ireland has said that an entrenched clericalism in that country used to view any opposition to itself as militant secularism. Speaking in an interview on the Crux website, Mary McAleese said Ireland had, at least in part, been dissuaded from anti-immigrant movements because of its rich Christian culture. She was asked Read more
A Catholic bishop in Ireland has accused politicians and media of seeking the destruction of the Church. Bishop William Crean of Cloyne said the goal of such people seems to be the elimination of the Church from public debate. “Ireland through its political and media establishment seems determined to eliminate the engagement of the Catholic Read more