A food truck for the homeless has arrived at the Vatican. Volunteers will distribute warm meals to those who live on the streets around St Peter’s Basilica. Inaugurated on February 17, the initiative is part of the non-profit Progetto Arca (Project Ark), which brought the mobile kitchen to Rome after it was successfully introduced in Read more
World
Pilgrims stream to Lourdes grotto after two-year Covid closure
Monday, February 21st, 2022Some 4,000 pilgrims visited the Massabielle Grotto at the centre of the Marian sanctuary of Lourdes on 11 February as the famous site reopened after two years of Covid-imposed closure. Touching the grotto’s rock wall and viewing the source of Lourdes water are part of the rituals the faithful perform at the sanctuary. The Virgin Read more
Don’t dump religious discrimination bill
Thursday, February 17th, 2022
Australian religious leaders are increasing pressure on Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese not to dump the religious discrimination bill ahead of the election. So far the bill has faced stiff opposition from all sides. Its only successful amendment was on Wednesday, which saw the removal of Section 38(3) of the Sex Read more
Build a Church without claiming privileges
Thursday, February 17th, 2022
The newly installed archbishop in the capital of the overwhelmingly Muslim country of Algeria is calling on Catholics not to claim any right other than to exercise duties and responsibility as citizens. Archbishop Jean-Paul Vesco, during his homily, likened the Algerian Church with the Gospel episode of the Wedding at Cana. He said that the Read more
Pope makes changes to Church law promoting ‘healthy decentralisation’
Thursday, February 17th, 2022
Pope Francis unveiled new changes to Church law in an apostolic letter published on Tuesday, saying that he was seeking to promote a ‘healthy decentralisation’ in the Church. In the motu proprio (“on his own impulse”), the pope said his intention with the changes was to “foster a sense of collegiality and pastoral responsibility” on Read more
German bishop commits to not dismissing LGBTQ church workers
Thursday, February 17th, 2022
A German bishop has issued a written commitment saying church workers will not be dismissed if they are LGBTQ. Archbishop Franz Jung of Würzburg has publicly declared that priests and other workers in his diocese should not fear any consequences for their sexual orientation. Jung’s declaration came in the wake of the OutInChurch initiative and Read more
Quebec’s Catholic churches are rapidly disappearing
Thursday, February 17th, 2022
About a quarter of Quebec’s Catholic churches have been closed, abandoned or converted for other use since 2000 – a trend for the fate of all churches. Architectural historian Luc Noppen says all Quebec’s Catholic parishes “are at the end of their tether”. “Three or four times a day, we learn of the closure of Read more
Pope boosts “disciplinary section” of Vatican doctrinal office
Thursday, February 17th, 2022Pope Francis has officially divided the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) into two sections to deal separately with doctrinal issues and disciplinary matters, a move that formalises a practice of the past several years. The pope made the move on Monday by issuing a new “motu proprio” called Fidem servare – “keep Read more
Polish Catholic leader asks Ukraine and Russian bishops to join in prayer for peace
Thursday, February 17th, 2022The president of the Polish catholic bishops’ conference appealed on Monday to Christian leaders in Ukraine and Russia to unite in prayer with Poland to stave off war. “We are bound together by a common history and the holy Christian faith,” Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki wrote in a February 14 letter to the Orthodox and Catholic Read more
Becciu’s ‘classified’ tech company linked to Trump-Russia allegations
Thursday, February 17th, 2022The technology company to which Cardinal Angelo Becciu authorised millions of dollars of payments in Australia has been named in an emerging US political scandal, raising new questions about the Vatican’s business with the firm. Neustar, a technology and security company, has been named in pretrial motions filed by John Durham, the special counsel investigating Read more