Sister André Randon, a 118-year-old member of the Daughters of Charity in France, is now the oldest living person on earth. She attained that distinction on April 19 when the previous title-holder, a Japanese woman, died at age 119. Sister André, who has been the oldest person in Europe since 2009, contracted COVID-19 in January Read more
News Shorts
Pope Francis updates canon law on dismissal from religious institutes
Thursday, April 28th, 2022Pope Francis issued an apostolic letter on Tuesday bringing Church law up to date on the rules for dismissal from religious institutes, in light of the updated penal law on sanctions related to clerical sexual abuse and other crimes. The letter, known as Recognitum Librum VI and issued motu proprio (on the pope’s “own impulse”) Read more
Benedict XVI’s secretary tests positive for COVID-19
Thursday, April 21st, 2022Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, has been in isolation for the past ten days after testing positive for COVID-19, according to German media. The German news agency, Katholisch.de, reported April 20 that Gänswein has been in isolation since April 11, a time period that included all of the Easter Triduum and Read more
ARISE interns allegedly told to work on pastors’ garden
Thursday, April 21st, 2022Former interns of ARISE mega church say they have felt forced to work on the church pastors’ properties on their days off. It’s just the latest in allegations against the mega church which revealed earlier this week it was launching an independent external review after stories emerged online. That review would start after Easter, ARISE Read more
Burger King in Spain apologises, pulls offensive Holy Week ads
Thursday, April 21st, 2022The fast-food chain Burger King in Spain has withdrawn and apologised for an offensive ad campaign that sparked outrage among Catholics during Holy Week. “We apologise to all those who have felt offended by our campaign aimed at promoting our vegetable products during Holy Week. Our intention has never been to offend anyone and the Read more
Combined Taupō churches support locals isolating with Covid
Thursday, April 21st, 2022A Covid isolation support service set up by a group of Taupō churches has helped around 130 families during the latest outbreak of the disease. The Taupō Churches Community Support Hub was set up near the start of the Omicron outbreak in February, but spokesperson Lynelle Laws said there’s still a lot of work to Read more
Hong Kong bishop ‘hopes’ for women’s ordination ‘one day’
Thursday, April 21st, 2022Hong Kong’s Bishop Stephen Chow expressed hope on April 13 for the Catholic ordination of women, joining several European bishops who have expressed similar sentiments in recent years. During his homily at the Hong Kong diocesan Chrism Mass, Bishop Chow said he had “turned to English, just to address our ordained brothers, and I hope Read more
Irish churchgoers raise 3.25 million euro for Ukraine
Thursday, April 21st, 2022Catholic churchgoers in Ireland have raised 3.25 million euro for the people of Ukraine since the war began. Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh and Archbishop Dermot Farrell of Dublin paid tribute to the generosity of parishioners. Irish bishops had asked for a special collection in parishes across Ireland in the wake of the Russian invasion. Read more
Papal envoy prays at mass grave in Ukraine
Wednesday, April 20th, 2022A papal envoy prayed beside a mass grave in Ukraine on Good Friday. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, during a visit to a newly liberated area of northern Ukraine, was pictured praying on April 15 at a grave containing 80 bodies. The Holy See press office said that the papal almoner traveled to Borodianka, a town around Read more
Pope Francis kisses battered Ukraine flag from Bucha
Monday, April 11th, 2022
Pope Francis on Wednesday kissed a battered Ukrainian flag that he said was brought to him from the “martyred” Ukrainian city of Bucha as he denounced the “massacre” there and called again for an end to the war. Francis held the flag as he welcomed a half-dozen Ukrainian refugee children up to the stage of Read more