Trans Catholics in the US say they’re having a hard time retaining their faith. Apart from a small number of individual parishes, transgender people are kept outside the community. Even the US Conference of Catholic Bishops rejects the concept of gender transition. Trans people also face rebukes from fellow Catholics, which drives them away. One Read more
The leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church said that priests “will descend to the bomb shelters” of Kyiv on Sunday to celebrate the Divine Liturgy. In a video message on February 27, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk noted that the residents of Ukraine’s capital are unable to attend church due to a government-mandated curfew. Citizens Read more
In his Lenten Message, Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, says – “The people of Ireland are well aware that we can never take peace for granted. We must always continue work for peace, to pray for peace and to make sacrifices for peace. “The scenes from Ukraine in recent Read more
The US Senate failed to move forward with the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) on Monday, striking down what some pro-life groups identify as the most radical abortion bill in US history. The WHPA “would enshrine into federal law abortion on demand until the moment of birth, and it would nullify state laws — new Read more
Caritas Internationalis secretary general Aloysius John has lauded the people of Bangladesh for their generosity in supporting Rohingya refugees. “My visit to Bangladesh was first of all to witness the solidarity of the confederation in Caritas Bangladesh and to the people of Bangladesh for their generosity in receiving the displaced people from Myanmar — the Read more
In an unprecedented papal gesture, Pope Francis has travelled to the Russian Embassy in Rome to personally “express his concern about the war” in Ukraine. Francis later assured a top Ukrainian Greek Catholic leader he would do “everything I can” to help. Usually, popes receive ambassadors and heads of state in the Vatican. Diplomatic protocol Read more
As the death toll from COVID-19 approaches one million in the US alone, calls are growing for greater vaccine equity across the globe. More than 10 billion vaccine shots have been administered worldwide as of mid-February. Yet the number of deaths is still rising. In addition, there are many regions of the world where people Read more
Catholics everywhere are four months into the public consultation phase of Pope Francis’s global Synod – but it’s been a bit of a non event in Ireland so far. Francis launched the Synod last October and many countries have already completed the consultation phase where all baptised Catholics have an opportunity to contribute to local Read more
The Order of Cistercians of Strict Observance (OCSO), commonly known as the Trappists, has elected a new Abbot General who is expected to bring creativity and innovation to the role. Dom Bernardus Peeters, Abbot of Tilburg, Netherlands entered the Trappists in 1986 at the Abbey of Our Lady of Koningshoeven in Berkel-Enschot, the Netherlands, at Read more
Catholic officials in India are taking legal action against media who seem to be following a rising trend in defaming the Church, particularly priests and nuns. Father Michael Pulickal of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council says the perceived increase in defamatory comments has seen priests and nuns lodge over 160 police complaints. All the complaints Read more