Members of a recently closed-down, progressive Catholic community in central Paris have called for a meeting with Archbishop Michel Aupetit after the French prelate publicly accused them of anti-evangelical behavior. The archbishop, who on March 1st closed the Halles-Beaubourg Pastoral Center (CPHB) at the Parish of Saint-Merry, told a Catholic radio station the center’s members Read more
World
Closed progressive Catholic community in Paris demands meeting with archbishop
Thursday, April 22nd, 2021No room for COVID patients in India’s Catholic hospitals
Monday, April 19th, 2021
Hospitals in India are running out of space with a surge of positive cases during a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Our hospitals do not have space for fresh admissions,” said Bishop Jose Chittooparambil of Rajkot in Gujarat state in western India, one of the worst-affected regions. India has been reporting more than 150,000 Read more
Pope urges politics rooted in service; attending to local concerns
Monday, April 19th, 2021
A politics that takes the people’s path and is rooted in service and local concerns is the best antidote to populism, Pope Francis says. In a speech to an online conference, he opened up about his thinking on how to combat populist trends. Francis’s vision is for a “popularism” that focuses on “finding the means Read more
German Catholic leaders plan huge same-sex blessing
Monday, April 19th, 2021
Several German Catholic leaders are openly supporting the blessing of same-sex couples and overtly challenging the Vatican. A massive blessing service event called “Love wins, blessing service for lovers” has been scheduled for May 10, in direct opposition to Rome’s chief doctrinal office. Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck of Essen said priests in his diocese will face Read more
Catholics ‘certainly’ respond to US Bishops on parody Twitter account
Monday, April 19th, 2021
Catholics have taken to Twitter to share personal stories of their church experiences, and many of the tales are not positive. A Twitter account was initially created as a parody of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But it has taken on a new meaning with two invitations for Catholics. In one tweet, it asked Read more
Politician’s LGBTQI rights bill divides Catholic schools
Monday, April 19th, 2021
Catholic schools in New South Wales are divided over a proposed anti-trans education bill. The proposal seeks to ban any discussion of gender diversity in the state’s classrooms. The state’s main Catholic education body supports One Nation leader Mark Latham’s the bill. The large Parramatta diocese, however, is lodging a strong objection. Latham’s bill proposes Read more
Religions, together, can fight evil of child abuse
Monday, April 19th, 2021
At an April 8-10 online symposium with religious representatives from around the world, Pope Francis expressed his hope that religions, together, can fight the profound evil of child abuse. After decades of child sexual abuse scandals the Church is ready to share its successes — and failures — with other religious and lay institutions. Francis’ Read more
Harrods stops selling Ganesha handbag after backlash from Hindus
Monday, April 19th, 2021
Harrods has stopped selling a luxury handbag after the accessory caused offence among the Hindu community. The bag, from the New York label Judith Leiber is favoured by Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez. It sculptures the Hindu god Ganesha into a leather clutch. Many Hindus saw the image of the god on a handbag as demeaning Read more
Chicago company behind Catholic prayer app raises $12 million
Monday, April 19th, 2021Hallow, a Catholic-centric prayer and meditation app, raised $12 million in funding, a sign of confidence that interest in religious-based technology will continue even as churches begin to reopen. Downloads of Hallow have grown sevenfold during the past year while Covid-19 spread, with spikes in demand during the recent Easter season and Lent, said founder Read more
Benedict XVI turns 94 years old
Monday, April 19th, 2021
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was born 94 years ago, April 16, in the town of Marktl, Bavaria. More than eight years after he announced his retirement from the papacy in 2013, Benedict continues to live a retired life in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery on Vatican grounds. Despite growing feebleness, the retired pope is in good Read more