The Vatican warned that it has nearly depleted its financial reserves from past donations to cover budget deficits over recent years. It urged continued giving from the faithful to keep the Holy See afloat and Pope Francis’ ministry going. The Vatican published its 2021 budget in its latest effort at greater financial transparency amid a Read more
World
‘Fratelli tutti’: Pope Francis ‘delighted’ as Muslim group oversees Russian translation
Monday, March 15th, 2021Pope Francis said on Wednesday that he was “delighted” to learn that a Muslim group had overseen the translation of his latest encyclical into Russian. In a message released by the Holy See press office on March 3, the pope said it was “a beautiful and joyful surprise” to hear that the encyclical Fratelli tutti Read more
Vatican releases papal Mass booklet for 500 years of Catholic faith in Philippines
Monday, March 15th, 2021The Vatican has released a copy of the Mass booklet that will be used for this Sunday’s Papal Mass to mark 500 years of Catholic faith in the Philippines. Published by the Office of the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, the booklet contains texts and songs in Italian, English, Filipino, Cebuano and Latin. The Read more
Controversial ‘Hate Crime’ legislation passes Scottish parliament
Monday, March 15th, 2021The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill passed by a wide margin on Thursday – 82-32 with 4 abstentions – after MSPs debated several amendments through Wednesday. The legislation consolidates law already on the books. It also applies “stirring up hatred” – itself a relatively new offence that heretofore applied only to race – Read more
Catholic Church has no future without women
Thursday, March 11th, 2021
The Catholic Church has no future without women, Catholic journalist Joanna Moorhead said at an International Women’s Day webinar on Monday. “We are talking about the survival of the Church,” Moorhead said. Whether women have a future in the Church is no longer a women’s issue but an issue for everyone, Moorhead told the 200 Read more
Biden sees Pope’s Iraq trip as a symbol of hope
Thursday, March 11th, 2021
Within an hour of Pope Francis arriving in Iraq, U.S. President Joe Biden was calling the visit a “symbol of hope for the entire world.” “Pope Francis’s visit was a historic and welcome first for the country,” Biden said. “It sent an important message, as Pope Francis said himself, that ‘fraternity is more durable than Read more
Myanmar nun describes what facing death was like
Thursday, March 11th, 2021
A Myanmar nun said she was ready to die as she knelt in front of security personnel, pleading with them not to shoot unarmed civilians. “I thought today is the day I will die. I decided to die,” Sister Nu Tawng told the British newsgroup Sky News. As Myanmar security forces cracked down on street Read more
Campaign targets lenders profiting from poor countries during pandemic
Thursday, March 11th, 2021
Charities have launched a campaign targeting some of the world’s wealthiest financial institutions who are profiting during the pandemic. The campaign is focussed on banks demanding large debt repayments from poor countries, requesting they forgive loans or provide debt relief. Some lenders, including richer countries, have agreed to suspend debts. Still, campaigners are claiming that Read more
“Reckless” Pope committed to dialogue
Thursday, March 11th, 2021
Papal critics have accused Pope Francis of being “reckless” and verging on heresy in his outreach to Muslims. “There are some critics who say the pope is not brave but ‘reckless’, that he’s taking steps against Catholic doctrine. That he’s one step from heresy,” the pope told journalists, March 8, on the plane from Iraq Read more
Sri Lanka Catholics mark ‘Black Sunday’ for Easter victims
Thursday, March 11th, 2021Sri Lankan Roman Catholics attended Mass dressed in black on Sunday, with prayers and protests calling for justice for those killed in coordinated suicide bomb attacks on Easter Sunday two years ago. Church bells tolled and prayers were chanted at 8:45 a.m., the time when bombs were detonated almost simultaneously at two Roman Catholic churches Read more