Catholics in Vietnam’s Archdiocese of Hanoi were shocked when officials wearing helmets interrupted Sunday Mass that was being celebrated by their Archbishop Joseph Vu Van Thien in the province of Hoa Binh, southwest of the capital. The incident took place on February 20 in the parish of Vu Ban, Fides reported. The church there can Read more
World
Two catholic priests arrested by Myanmar junta
Thursday, February 24th, 2022Myanmar’s military regime has arrested two catholic priests who were on their way to help internally displaced persons in Shan state. Local church sources said father John Paul Lwel and Father John Bosco, who belong to the St Therese Little Way Missionary Institute, were arrested by junta soldiers and the Pa-O National Army, an ethnic Read more
Vatican astronomers make two new discoveries in space
Thursday, February 24th, 2022Two Jesuit astronomers from the Vatican Observatory were part of recent discoveries: one finding a new member of the solar system and another finding evidence for a long-lost galaxy “eaten up” by the Milky Way. Jesuit Father Richard Boyle discovered the existence of a new object, named “2021 XD7,” in the outer solar system past Read more
The incivility of war is useless slaughter
Monday, February 21st, 2022
Pope Francis met with leaders of the Congregation for Eastern Catholic churches, many from countries dealing with conflict, saying human beings seem to be “champion in making war,” which should “make us all ashamed” Francis said it is tragic that humans seem to be “attached to wars”. “Humanity still seems to be groping in the Read more
Better collaboration between women and men will strengthen the church
Monday, February 21st, 2022
Promoting better collaboration between women and men in the Catholic Church is not primarily about equality. It’s about allowing the church to fulfil the mission given to it by God, said women at an international conference on priesthood at the Vatican last week. Organized by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the conference examined the theology of the Read more
Sisters educate Africans to get COVID-19 vaccine
Monday, February 21st, 2022
A massive campaign to educate and create awareness, instigated by religious sisters in Ghana, has encouraged thousands to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Religious sisters in the West African nation of more than 31 million people have been working hard to debunk COVID-19 vaccine myths. But misinformation is rampant, ranging from denial that the virus exists Read more
Global imbalance in catholics-per-priest ratio
Monday, February 21st, 2022
The number of people devoted to serving Catholics in Asia and Africa has grown, however a global imbalance exists in pastoral ministry. The Vatican’s Central Office of Church Statistics published a report showing spiritual care is far more readily available to Catholics in Europe and Asia than in the Americas and Africa. The report, published Read more
Suspended psychoanalyst-priest crashes Vatican conference on priesthood
Monday, February 21st, 2022
A suspended psychoanalyst-priest suspected of sexual abuse and banned from ministry crashed a Vatican conference on priesthood last week. Once called the “shrink of the Church”, Fr Tony Anatrella (81), registered for the event on his own accord. He joined around 400 participants in the Paul VI Hall to hear Pope Francis speak, attended the Read more
To protect minorities, prominent Indians want an end to anti-conversion laws
Monday, February 21st, 2022Prominent Indian citizens, including Christians, have demanded a repeal of all anti-conversion laws in the country, reported ucanews.com. “Wherever the anti-conversion law, ironically officially called the Freedom of Religion Act, was passed, it became a justification for the persecution of minorities and other marginalised identities,” said the repeal petition. The petition was initiated by the Read more
Enrolment in US catholic schools rebounds after sharp drop
Monday, February 21st, 2022Catholic education officials reported on Monday that enrolment in catholic schools in the United States rose 3.8% over the previous academic year, rebounding from a sharp drop caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The National Catholic Educational Association said nationwide enrolment increased by 62,000 to about 1.68 million students, marking the first increase in two decades Read more