The three-quarters full bottle of altar wine alongside an unopened six pack of traditional beeswax altar candles in the oratory sacristy gave an impression of a seminary hastily abandoned. Priests’ vestments hanging on a rail lent to that view. But Holy Cross Clonliffe in Dublin’s Drumcondra ceased to operate as a seminary in 1999 when Read more
World
Migrant disappearances in Mexico quadrupled in 2021, report says
Monday, May 16th, 2022Reported cases of missing migrants in Mexico jumped nearly fourfold in 2021 from 2020, as the country struggles to stem the flow of undocumented people from Central America to the United States, according to a report released on Wednesday. The number of missing foreigners grew by 292 percent to 349 from 89 cases, said the Read more
Vietnam bishop encourages seminarians to be missionaries
Monday, May 16th, 2022The newly ordained bishop of Vietnam’s largest Catholic diocese has paid a visit to a major seminary and urged the future priests to be missionaries to preach the Good News to cultures and ethnicities at home and abroad. Bishop Dominic Hoang Minh Tien of Hung Hoa Diocese visited Bui Chu Major Seminary in neighbouring Bui Read more
Archbishop of Canterbury launches reconciliation course for prisoners
Monday, May 16th, 2022A course that explores conflict, forgiveness, and reconciliation is to be offered in prisons, after its launch by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The course is based on the five-part Difference Course, which “equips you to see transformation through everyday encounters”. The team behind the Difference Course worked with prison chaplains, and conducted trials in prisons, Read more
Catholic Church ‘judgemental and condemning’
Thursday, May 12th, 2022
Many laity have expressed the view that the Catholic Church appears to be ‘judgemental and condemning’. They also conveyed a strong sense that the Church must be ‘there for all.’ The feedback has come from a synthesis of reports from the dioceses of England and Wales in a “listening” process that is part of the Read more
People in debt more lonely than during lockdown
Thursday, May 12th, 2022
The cost of living is forcing people in debt into increased loneliness and isolation, Christians Against Poverty (CAP) says. For them, it’s at least as bad as the isolation during the pandemic lockdowns. The charity surveyed 750 of its clients for its latest study. Published on Monday to coincide with the start of Mental Health Read more
War produces new unity in Ukraine Christian Churches
Thursday, May 12th, 2022
War is creating a new unity between the various Christian Churches in Ukraine, Catholic Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk told the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity last Friday. It also poses two big challenges to the global Church. War is everyone’s responsibility “First, there is a need for a new reflection on the social doctrine of Read more
Bishop concerned about China military presence in Solomon Islands
Thursday, May 12th, 2022
Bishop Luciano Capelli of Gizo, the Solomon Islands’ second-largest city, has expressed concern over his country’s ability to remain independent, with China investing heavily in the island nation. Capelli says many Islanders see China as a liberator when it offers to bring a certain degree of development. The nation lacks hospitals, infrastructure and airports. However, Read more
Vatican following Cardinal’s arrest with “extreme attention”
Thursday, May 12th, 2022
The Vatican is following China’s arrest of retired Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen with “extreme attention”, says a statement from the Holy See Press. The statement refers to the Security Police’s arrest of the 90-year old in Hong Kong on Wednesday. Hours later, Zen was released on bail. He and three of four other trustees of Read more
God ‘does not disown any of his children’, pope tells LGBTQ Catholics
Thursday, May 12th, 2022
Pope Francis said he wants LGBTQ Catholics to know that God is a father who “does not disown any of his children.” The pope’s comment came in response to a question asked by Jesuit Father James Martin, a prominent catholic priest involved in gay ministry. Martin posed three questions to the pope for the America Read more