Retired Pope Benedict XVI followed the funeral of his brother, Georg Ratzinger, via livestreaming, reported the German Catholic news agency KNA. Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg said Pope Benedict, 93, was connected to the Mass taking place for his older brother July 8 in the Regensburg Cathedral. Msgr. Georg Ratzinger died on July 1 at Read more
World
Vatican commission trying to answer new reality
Monday, July 6th, 2020
Pope Francis has set up a COVID-19 commission to identify what needs to be changed in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In his view, the human person is always impacted by crises. Being better or worse after each one, he’s often said, is “up to us.” “The COVID-19 commission is trying to answer Read more
Asian Bishops’ Conferences concerned about new Hong Kong law
Monday, July 6th, 2020
The Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences is concerned about China’s new security law in Hong Kong. In a statement, Cardinal Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon in Myanmar and president of the Asian Bishops’ Conferences says the bishops are calling for Christians to pray for the people of Hong Kong and China. China’s President Xi Jinping Read more
Church should empower victims to disclose abuse
Monday, July 6th, 2020
The Catholic Church needs to empower victims of clerical abuse to disclose their predicament, says Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna. It’s been more than a year since Pope Francis published “Vos Est Lux Mundi (You are the light of the world)” – a document that ushered in a new wave of transparency and accountability for abuse Read more
Lourdes launches online pilgrimage
Monday, July 6th, 2020
The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes is organising an online pilgrimage and crowdfunding drive to try to make up a US$9 million deficit. “Lourdes needs the world, and the world needs Lourdes,” said Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, rector of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. The online pilgrimage, entitled “Lourdes United”, will take Read more
Irish Church exempt from indoor gathering restrictions
Monday, July 6th, 2020
Places of worship in Ireland have been exempted from the country’s indoor gathering restrictions. The relaxation of the rules responds to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin’s concerns about the feasibility of enforcing the restrictions. Ireland’s Phase Three set a limit of 50 people for indoor gatherings and 100 people for outdoor gatherings. In Phase Four Read more
Prince Charles praises religious communities
Monday, July 6th, 2020Prince Charles has praised the “wonderful work” of religious communities during the coronavirus pandemic. The 71-year-old royal has been “so deeply struck” by the way people have demonstrated “fundamental human compassion and decency” and set differences aside to provide “vital” support to local communities. He said at a virtual multifaith conference hosted by the Commonwealth Read more
Third Catholic priest ends life in India in 10 days
Monday, July 6th, 2020In the third such incident in India in 10 days, a Catholic priest was found dead in his residence in Tuticorin Diocese in southern India’s Tamil Nadu state. Father Xavier Alwin, 36, was found in his room within the premises of a diocesan-run school in Thoothukudi district on July 1. He was a teacher at Read more
Sagrada Familia invites medical workers to attend July 4 reopening
Monday, July 6th, 2020The Sagrada Familia which was designed by Antoni Gaudí, will reopen its doors July 4 following a more than 100-day closure due to the coronavirus crisis. The unfinished basilica, which was forced to close to tourists March 13, will offer free entry to medical workers and their families Saturday in the first phase of its Read more
Poll: Trump trails Biden among Catholic voters (but keeps his lead with white Catholics)
Monday, July 6th, 2020Catholic voters in the United States would narrowly prefer former Vice President Joe Biden over President Donald Trump, the Pew Research Center reported on July 1. When asked who they would vote for or who they are leaning toward if the election were held today, 52 percent of Catholics picked Mr. Biden and 47 percent Read more