Education is a spiritual work of mercy not because it imparts information, but because it helps another find meaning and learn to shine, Pope Francis told members of a Catholic group from Argentina. When done with respect, “education offers a meaning, a narrative to every element of human life,” and it “helps to bring out Read more
World
Religion is ‘interruption’, not continuity, says bishop
Thursday, September 29th, 2022
The shortest definition of religion is “interruption,” says Bishop Georg Bätzing (pictured). Some forms of continuity people seek from religion are “frankly suspect,” the president of the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference asserts. Bätzing made the comments during the bishops’ plenary assembly in a live-streamed Mass on Tuesday. In his homily he said “all too surely Read more
Papal statement rejecting ‘Doctrine of Discovery’ underway
Thursday, September 29th, 2022
Preparations for a papal statement rejecting the Doctrine of Discovery are underway. Canada’s Catholic bishops’ conference (CCCB) and Vatican officials are working together on the document. They aim to create a statement rejecting an entire tradition of legal reasoning, said Jonathan Lesarge, CCCB spokesman. It is likely to address core concerns of Indigenous people in Read more
Caritas Algeria announces government ordered “complete and definitive” closing
Thursday, September 29th, 2022
Caritas Algeria has announced the “complete and definitive” closing of its operations in the country, in response to an Algerian government directive. This “complete and definitive” closure was announced in a communiqué from the Archdiocese of Algiers, signed by Archbishop Paul Desfarges, Emeritus of Algiers and President of the Algerian Diocesan Association. The announcement states Read more
Church opens canonical investigation into Bishop Saunders
Thursday, September 29th, 2022
The Holy See has initiated a canonical investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against former Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders. In a rare statement released on Saturday night, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said a Vos Estis Lux Mundi investigation was underway. “The Holy See has initiated a canonical investigation into former Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders, with Read more
Vatican “foreign minister” calls for a world without nuclear weapons
Thursday, September 29th, 2022
In an address to the 66th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States called for a world without nuclear weapons. Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See’s ‘foreign minister’ said, “The Holy See has no doubt that a world free from nuclear weapons is both necessary and possible”. Read more
Head of Vatican Synod office: ‘Let us trust in our people’
Thursday, September 29th, 2022
The head of the Vatican synod office says both doctrinal concerns and pastoral considerations are important when it comes to hot-button issues. Questions about the reception of Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics and the blessing of same-sex couples are examples Cardinal Mario Grech (pictured) mentions. “These issues are not to be understood simply in Read more
Pope to visit Bahrain
Thursday, September 29th, 2022Pope Francis will visit predominantly Muslim Bahrain from November 3-6 to attend an international conference. The Vatican said the pope would visit the Gulf island country off the Arabian peninsula to take part in the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Human Coexistence. In 2019, Francis visited Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Read more
Cuba holds unusual vote on law allowing same-sex marriage
Thursday, September 29th, 2022Cuba held a rare referendum on Sunday on an unusually controversial law — a government-backed “family law” code that would allow same-sex couples to marry and adopt, as well as outlining the rights of children and grandparents. Cuba holds parliamentary elections every two years, though no party other than the Communist is allowed, but seldom Read more
Australian students teach the faith
Thursday, September 29th, 2022Mathew Abrahim, William Buono, Michael Touma and Daniel Khoury, year 10 students of Christian Brothers at Lewisham have discovered the truth of the saying that the best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else. The mates met with the students of Lewisham Public school as student catechists to share their Catholic Read more