Bishop Georg Bätzing, president of the German bishops’ conference, defended the plan for “ecumenically mindful” reception of Communion in Catholic and Protestant services during Germany’s ecumenical congress May 13-16. The bishop told KNA, Germany’s Catholic news agency, May 11 that the services planned May 15 were not about “cross-denominational Communion in the sense of a general mutual Read more
World
Study suggests state support weakens Christianity
Thursday, May 13th, 2021Support for the religion tends to speed its decline, while the lack thereof speeds its growth. A peer-reviewed study published this month in the academic journal Sociology of Religion finds a paradoxical correlation between the growth of Christianity on the one hand and the support given to it by the state on the other. As Read more
Day by day: Musical ‘Godspell’ celebrates 50th anniversary
Thursday, May 13th, 2021It will come as little surprise to its legion of fans that the first professional musical to be mounted in the U.S. during the pandemic was “Godspell.” The Berkshire Theater Group in western Massachusetts put on a production in August with plexiglass partitions between the actors and temperature checks for the audience. Why “Godspell”? Its Read more
It may be easy to parrot prayer “blah, blah, blah, but… Francis says
Thursday, May 13th, 2021Holding a general audience with visitors and pilgrims present for the first time in more than six months, Pope Francis talked of the power of prayer. Prayer, he told the crowd, is not always “a walk in the park.” While it may be easy to “parrot” prayer, “blah, blah, blah,” he said, real prayer requires Read more
Diocese yields to backlash over gender diversity in schools
Monday, May 10th, 2021
Australia’s Catholic Parramatta diocese has yielded to a backlash from parents and priests over its opposition to a bill banning the discussion of gender diversity in schools. The Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta (CEDP) split from Catholic Schools NSW, the statewide body, over its opposition to Mark Latham’s anti-trans education bill. Although later superseded by Read more
Pope formalising the ‘ministry of catechist’
Monday, May 10th, 2021
Pope Francis is preparing to formally institute the “ministry of catechist.” Millions of laypeople around the world are already recognized as catechists in their parish or diocese. Francis’s apostolic letter “Antiquum Ministerium” (Ancient Ministry) instituting the ministry will be released from Rome on Tuesday. The pope has spoken of the importance of selecting, training and Read more
Synodality is Pope Francis’ vehicle for changing the church
Monday, May 10th, 2021
Pope Francis’ desire for synodality will be a vehicle for changing the life of the church, according to Cardinal Joseph Tobin of New Jersey, USA. The pope has made repeated calls for mercy and for the church to hear voices from the peripheries. This is an invitation to accept that the Holy Spirit speaks not Read more
Eucharist must not be weaponised for political ends
Monday, May 10th, 2021
Efforts by some US bishops to exclude Catholic politicians — including President Joe Biden — from receiving Communion has prompted concerns that the Eucharist is being weaponised for political purposes. “The Eucharist must never be instrumentalised for a political end, no matter how important,” said Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego. President Biden was Read more
No threat of schism, says leading German bishop
Monday, May 10th, 2021
German Catholics are not seeking to “detach ourselves as the German national Church from Rome,” and there is no risk of schism, according to the chairman of the German Catholic bishops’ conference. Even as Catholics in Germany plan a national protest against the Vatican’s ban on blessing on same-sex couples, Bishop Georg Bätzing has insisted Read more
18 days in a COVID ICU unit in India
Monday, May 10th, 2021
“Nothing prepared me to see so much widespread death, pain and suffering, and up so close,” says a former patient of COVID ICU unit in India. “I’m one of the very lucky ones. “Many are not as fortunate,” said Ivan Fernandes, La-Croix International managing editor. Fernandes was talking with CathNews on Saturday. Reflecting on his Read more