Pope Francis has denounced a culture of individuality revealed by the pandemic, which has sacrificed the care of the weakest members of society. Francis, speaking at his Wednesday audience called on the faithful to “overcome our personal and collective individualism” as experts work to find a cure for the coronavirus, “which hit us all indiscriminately.” Read more
World
Protests erupt over Beirut’s deadly explosion
Monday, August 10th, 2020
The deadly explosion in Beirut last week was followed by a wave of protests erupting in central Beirut. Many Lebanese citizens are blaming their leaders’ incompetence, for the deadly explosion that leveled the city’s main port last Tuesday. The blast sent a shock wave through Lebanon’s capital, destroyed entire neighborhoods, killed at least 154 people, Read more
Pope picks six women for ‘all-male’ Vatican posts
Monday, August 10th, 2020
Pope Francis has attempted to right the gender balance in senior Vatican posts, appointing six women to traditionally all-male Vatican roles at the Vatican Council for the Economy. In addition to the women, the only layman named to the council was Alberto Minali, a former executive at Italian insurance companies. Statutes for the Council, which Read more
Thousands of Christian volunteers helping after Beirut blast
Monday, August 10th, 2020
Thousands of Christian volunteers are clearing debris and delivering urgent aid to people in Beirut, following last week’s devastating explosion. Medicine, clothes, blankets and food are in huge demand. Monsignor Toufic Bou-Hadir, director of the Maronite Patriarchal Commission for Youth, is praising the efforts of the young Christian volunteers “amazing” response to what he calls Read more
Catholic bishop challenges Trump’s pro-life claims
Monday, August 10th, 2020
President Donald Trump’s pro-life claims have been analysed and found wanting. An American church leader, Bishop John Stowe of Kentucky challenged Trump’s pro-life claims in a recent webinar. He told his audience that rather than being pro-life, Trump was actually anti-life. “For this president to call himself pro-life, and for anybody to back him because Read more
Cardinals call out China’s Uyghur genocide
Monday, August 10th, 2020
China’s Uyghur genocide must end, say 76 signatories. The cardinals of Myanmar and Indonesia are among the signatories of a statement calling for action to stop “one of the most egregious human tragedies since the Holocaust: the potential genocide of the Uyghurs and other Muslims in China.” Uyghur genocide and other atrocity crimes are known Read more
Notre Dame Cathedral’s organ getting 4-year-long cleaning
Monday, August 10th, 2020Pipe by precious pipe, Notre Dame Cathedral’s organ – that once thundered through the medieval building – is being taken apart after last year’s devastating fire. The mammoth task of dismantling, cleaning and re-assembling France’s largest musical instrument started Monday and is expected to last nearly four years. Once restored, it will take six months Read more
US seeks blasphemy reforms after Pakistan court killing
Monday, August 10th, 2020The United States has urged Pakistan to amend its blasphemy laws after an American citizen was killed inside a courtroom in Peshawar on July 29. Tahir Ahmed Naseem was shot dead in Peshawar district court where he was due to attend a hearing on charges of blasphemy. Naseem was a former member of Pakistan’s minority Read more
India’s Supreme Court rejects rape-accused bishop’s petition
Monday, August 10th, 2020India’s Supreme Court has dismissed a petition from Bishop Franco Mulakkal that sought to clear him of charges of raping a Catholic nun. “There is no merit” in the case, said Chief Justice Sharad Aravind Bobde on Aug. 5 while dismissing the discharge plea of Bishop Mulakkal of Jalandhar Diocese. Senior Supreme Court lawyer and Read more
Priest, a seminary rector, slain in El Salvador
Monday, August 10th, 2020A Roman Catholic priest has been shot to death along a road in El Salvador and church authorities on Saturday called for an investigation into the slaying. The church celebrated a Mass on Saturday for the Rev. Ricardo Antonio Cortez, who was rector at the seminary named for recently canonized Oscar Arnulfo Romero in the Read more