The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) are giving the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) newspaper a gift of $1.5 million. The money is to be used to support and amplify “integral ecological education and journalism reflecting the spirit of Laudato Si’.” The Sisters’ gift marks the establishment of the Laudato Si’ Fund, which NCR is Read more
A draft letter signed by Brazilian bishops is causing an uproar in the Brazilian media and church, as it hits out hard at the government. In the letter scheduled to be presented to the executive committee of the bishops’ conference, over 150 bishops accuse the federal government of “inaction and omission” in combating the coronavirus Read more
The new parish instructions could the the subject of a discussion at the Vatican, if German bishops want to air their views about them, says Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy. Stella (pictured), whose congregation issued the new parish instructions last month, says he would be pleased to receive the bishops Read more
Human trafficking numbers are growing because of Covid-19, according to a joint statement from Caritas Internationalis and Christian Organisation Against Trafficking (COATNET). Many of the pandemic’s socio-economic effects are aggravating human trafficking and exploitation, which the International Labour Organization (ILO) says affects over 40 million people. Caritas and COATNET are urging governments to intensify efforts Read more
The Chinese Communist Party is offering monetary rewards to those who report the presence of home churches in their communities, the magazine Bitter Winter reported on Thursday. The rewards appear to be an expansion of a program already in place in the province of Heilongjiang, reported earlier this year. In the city of Nenjiang, residents Read more
Papal nuncio Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Vatican ambassador to France, plans to meet the female candidates individually at the beginning of the new school year. Marie-Automne Thepot’s mobile phone rang on the morning of July 27th and, to her surprise, the call was from the papal nuncio’s office. The 42-year-old project manager at the Paris City Read more
Pope Francis called on politicians to create jobs so that economies can relaunch from the lockdowns imposed to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The pope, speaking after the traditional Sunday blessing, said that “without work, families and society cannot go forward. Let us pray for this, because this will be a problem in the post-pandemic period, Read more
In Washington state, one of the first coronavirus hotspots in the United States, an empty Catholic retreat center will temporarily transform into a quarantine facility for coronavirus patients, the Diocese of Spokane has announced. In February, the cancelations were already piling up from individuals and retreat groups scheduled to visit the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center, Read more
Chinese government spies hacked Vatican computer networks, a US firm that tracks state-backed cyber attacks has reported. The apparent espionage effort also included hacking Catholic diocese of Hong Kong and the head of the Hong Kong Study Mission, who is seen as Pope Francis’ de facto representative to China. Security firm Recorded Future, which detected Read more
German prelates have reacted strongly to the new Vatican parish instruction. Released last week by the Congregation for the Clergy, the instruction has seen many bishops react with anger and contempt. Only Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne is defending the instruction, while Cardinal Walter Kasper is steering a middle way. The German Bishops’ Conference Read more