People who threaten priests in the Philippines may attract the wrath of their president. After calling the country’s Catholic bishops “useless fools” who should be “killed,” Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has now warned anyone against harming priests and prelates. The president made the warning after being told that people close to his family have threatened Read more
World
Bishop warns of grave consequences
Thursday, February 28th, 2019The Archbishop of Ciudad Bolívar warned Saturday of “very grave consequences” for the government of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro after the destruction of humanitarian aid that entered the country. Read more
Synod says Sunday services no longer compulsory
Monday, February 25th, 2019
A Church of England synod has decided to put aside a centuries-old requirement for every church in every benefice to celebrate the weekly Sunday services. The synod says the rules will be amended to say morning and evening prayer need only be held at “at least one church within a benefice, which might include multiple Read more
France responds to swastikas, religious attacks
Monday, February 25th, 2019
Swastikas, religious attacks and anti-Semitic behaviour is on the rise in France. France’s political leaders called for French people to join protest marches after a video surfaced of one of a series of anti-Semitic rallies. In the video, the crowd turned on French philosopher Alain Finkielkraut who happens to be a Jew, calling him a Read more
Vatican to host atheism and secularism international conference
Monday, February 25th, 2019
The Vatican’s second-ever international conference examining the rise of atheism and secularism will be held in late May. The first conference was held in 1969 during St Pope Paul VI’s leadership. This year the Vatican is joining forces with a University of Kent research initiative to host the “Cultures of Unbelief” conference. Scholars from a Read more
Cyber attacks target Catholic church, corporates
Monday, February 25th, 2019
Cyber attacks on Melbourne’s Catholic Archdiocese paralysed its computer system for days, with the attackers demanding a ransom from the church, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese says. Similar attacks have targeted Australia’s biggest corporate superannuation fund, TelstraSuper, while a cyber crime syndicate hacked and scrambled the files of Melbourne Heart Group, a cardiology unit based Read more
Bishops tell government to do more for refugees, asylum seekers
Monday, February 25th, 2019
Papua New Guinea’s (PNG’s) bishops are urging the government to do more to help resettle the country’s refugees and asylum seekers. Besides pushing for a definitive end to the detention of refugees on Manus Island, the bishops are also highlighting the plight of various groups in the country who have not gained refugee status. In Read more
“All-out battle” to eradicate sexual abuse needed
Monday, February 25th, 2019
The Vatican summit on the protection of minors has ended and the Church’s future direction is set. In his final address at the Summit, Pope Francis committed the church to do everything possible to eradicate sexual abuse. He said he wants it gone – not just from the church itself but from society as a Read more
Miraculous conversion of Muslim about to kill Christian
Monday, February 25th, 2019An Egyptian Muslim who planned to kill his cousin for converting to Christianity has shared how he embraced the religion he once hated after Jesus delivered a powerful message to him in a dream. Read more
Poor attendance, high maintenance closes cathedral
Monday, February 25th, 2019St Catherine’s Cathedral in Utrecht, Netherlands is expected to be closed and sold due to an ongoing decrease in attendance, as the aging building has become more expensive to maintain. The cathedral will likely be sold to the Museum Catharijne Convent, a former convent that was turned into a religious art gallery. Read more