At least five persons were injured in a protest in Baghdad’s Central Tahrir Squares just days before the Pope’s visit. Pope Francis is expected to visit the country on March 5-8 despite security in some parts of the country deteriorating after the first major suicide bombing in Baghdad in three years. Dozens of people protested Read more
World
Head of German Catholic bishops will not deny Protestants Communion
Monday, March 1st, 2021
The president of the German Catholic bishops’ conference said he will continue to give Holy Communion to Protestants who ask for it. Bishop Georg Bätzing said it was necessary to respect the “personal decision of conscience” of those seeking to receive Communion. CNA Deutsch reported that Bätzing responded to a question about a controversial proposal Read more
Vatican ambassador to Iraq has COVID: Concerns mount about pope’s trip
Monday, March 1st, 2021
According to infectious disease experts, the pope’s upcoming trip to Iraq is ‘not a good idea’. They have expressed concern about a sharp rise in coronavirus infections and a fragile health system in the country. There is also the unavoidable likelihood that Iraqis will crowd to see him. No one wants to tell Pope Francis Read more
The Church needs to form a ‘post-COVID-19’ generation
Monday, March 1st, 2021
Romanian Catholic archbishop Aurel Percă believes, “there is a need to form a ‘post-COVID-19’ generation that will establish a different kind of relationship between people.” Percă has never led his archdiocese in normal times. He was installed as Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucharest in January 2020, shortly before the coronavirus pandemic engulfed Romania. In a Feb. Read more
Religious services are essential services says Vatican official
Monday, March 1st, 2021
A Vatican official is insisting religious services should be seen as the highest of essential services. Pandemic practices over the past year have shown they are not automatically super-spreader events, Vatican foreign minister Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. “There are numerous examples of how the freedom of worship Read more
Synod to discuss reform and faith crisis in Ireland
Monday, March 1st, 2021
Catholic bishops are planning a synod to look at Ireland’s crisis of faith, address the need for reform and renewal, and respond to the legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic. All sections of the Irish Church will be brought together at the synod. Two Irish Catholic bishops, Paul Dempsey of Achonry and Fintan Gavin of Cork Read more
Pope expects to die in Rome – either in office or emeritus
Monday, March 1st, 2021
In a new book Pope Francis hints at possible retirement, saying he’ll either be in office or emeritus when he dies. Regardless of whether Francis dies in office or emeritus, he intends staying in Rome and wants to be buried there. He does not want to be buried in Buenos Aires, where he spent most Read more
Brazilian priest who ‘concelebrated’ Mass with Protestant minister removed as pastor
Monday, March 1st, 2021A Brazilian bishop and the regional superior of a priest who last week attempted to concelebrate the Eucharist with a Protestant minister have removed the priest as pastor of his parish. Fr. Jose Carlos Pedrini, a member of the Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo, was removed as pastor of Jundiai’s Sacred Heart of Jesus parish. Read more
Man dies on his knees in a Mexico City church
Monday, March 1st, 2021A church in Mexico City was the scene on Sunday of the death of Juan, a man in his sixties who got down on his knees to pray at the entrance of the church. He then made his way up the main aisle still on his knees, passed out, and died within minutes in front Read more