A group of Mercy sisters has been honored by the New Hampshire Coalition Against the Death Penalty for the key role they played in making New Hampshire the 21st state in the country to abolish the death penalty. Sisters Eileen Brady, Mary Ellen Foley and Madonna Moran received the recognition on behalf of their community Read more
World
Buddhist women’s association hold first post-#MeToo conference
Thursday, July 18th, 2019The Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women hosted its 16th conference in late June, gathering over 800 Buddhist nuns and laywomen from 29 countries in the city of Blue Mountains, Australia. They were returning for the first time since the #MeToo movement started making headlines and marking the first time the event was held outside Read more
Not usual missionaries: Papal Vicar in Rome wants risk takers
Monday, July 15th, 2019
A new neighbourhood missionary outreach initiative in Rome is looking for teams of “courageous explorers”, risk takers in other words. “Don’t go looking for those who have shown they are prudent, measured and detail-oriented,” Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, told pastors in the diocese of Rome last week. Ideally, the teams should include “people who draw Read more
Bones found, tombs empty: mystery deepens in missing Vatican girl saga
Monday, July 15th, 2019
Two sets of bones have been found in a stone slab, a tomb expected to have bones in it is empty and the remains of a Vatican schoolgirl missing since 1983 continue to elude searchers. The empty tomb in the cemetery of the Pontifical Teutonic College was supposedly the last resting places of two 19th-century Read more
Bishop exorcises entire city by helicopter
Monday, July 15th, 2019
A Colombian bishop exorcised an entire city plagued by violence, drug smuggling and poverty last weekend, sprinkling holy water from a helicopter. Before he began the mass exorcism, Monsignor Rubén Darío Jaramillo Montoya, the bishop of Buenaventura, said he would say a prayer intended to purge the area of demonic infestation. He decided to carry Read more
Teacher fired for social media posts sues Catholic school
Monday, July 15th, 2019
A Catholic school teacher whose social media posts espoused views contrary to those of the Church is suing the school, where she had worked for 16 years, for firing her. Elizabeth Cox is seeking financial compensation as well as reinstatement as a teacher at the school. The school has 30 days to respond to the Read more
Chinese Christians warned not to speak about persecution
Monday, July 15th, 2019
Chinese Christians are being gagged from speaking out about the Chinese government’s efforts to suppress religious freedom. Crosses are being removed and (news sources say) churches throughout China are being demolished. The ruling Communist Party has carried out a widespread crackdown on all religious institutions in recent years. Changes the government initiated last year in Read more
Twitter moves to curb hate speech based on religion
Monday, July 15th, 2019Twitter is moving to filter out inappropriate content based on religion as part of its effort to curb hate speech. In a policy update on Tuesday, Twitter said it would take down “dehumanising language” that targets specific religious groups. Examples of the type of language that would be removed would be the description of a Read more
Venezuela bishops: ‘the nation needs a change of direction now’
Monday, July 15th, 2019In order to begin to reverse the dramatic situation in which Venezuela finds itself, the Venezuelan bishops claim a political change of direction is urgently needed. “Faced with the reality of an illegitimate and bankrupt government,” Venezuela is crying for “a change of direction, a return to the Constitution,” they say. A message issued at Read more
Archbishop of Canterbury calls for mandatory reporting of sexual abuse
Monday, July 15th, 2019The archbishop of Canterbury has thrown his weight behind calls for the government to make the reporting of sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults mandatory. Justin Welby told the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA): “I am convinced that we need to move to mandatory reporting for regulated activities.” Regulated activities cover areas Read more