The expenses involved in hosting this week’s APEC conference is of concern, says Papua New Guinea’s bishops’ conference. APEC discussions will include investment and trade opportunities. The bishops say they are concerned about the PNG government’s high spending and what they see as being an unequal distribution of wealth. Read more
World
Muslim family won’t give up keys to Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Monday, November 12th, 2018A Muslim family holding the keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is resisting community and political pressure to give them up. Adeeb Joudeh al-Husseini, who says his family was granted the keys in the 12th century, told Al-Monitor there is no reason he should give them up. The key holder says his family’s Read more
Guam’s Catholic Church to file for bankruptcy
Thursday, November 8th, 2018
Guam’s Catholic Church says it is going to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code. This chapter allows the debtor to propose a plan of reorganisation to keep its business alive and pay creditors over time. Multitudes of sexual abuse claims against clergy have driven the Church to take this step. Read more
Bishop celebrates special Diwali mass in Fiji
Thursday, November 8th, 2018
Fiji is one of the many countries around the globe that celebrated a special Diwali mass to pay respects to the Hindu festival of light. In his homily at the Diwali (also called Deepawali or Deepavali) mass, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong of Suva spoke of the one God. The Catholic Church believes and teaches the Read more
New Papal Foundation chairman elected
Thursday, November 8th, 2018
The Papal Foundation has a new chairman: Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston. O’Malley is replacing Cardinal Donald Wuerl who led the Foundation for eight years. The Philadelphia-based Papal Foundation gives grants in support of projects and proposals recommended by the Holy See. It has given over $100 million in grants in service to the Church Read more
Faith leaders say poverty, violence is behind migrant caravans
Thursday, November 8th, 2018
Faith leaders say the thousands of people in migrant caravans travelling through central America from Honduras are leaving their homes under duress. Many caravan members say they cannot make ends meet in their home countries due to low wages, extortion or unemployment, says Nathanael Bacon, a Catholic deacon who lives in Guatemala. The faith leaders Read more
Let’s pledge to ban anti-Semitism from society says Pope
Thursday, November 8th, 2018
All Christians must work to combat anti-Semitism until it is banned from society. We share common religious roots with Jews, Pope Francis says. Francis’s comments about anti-Semitism were made to the World Congress of Mountain Jews earlier this week. These Jews, who come from modern-day Iran, were targeted for extermination by German troops in World Read more
Belgian Brothers of Charity cull pro-euthanasia board members
Thursday, November 8th, 2018The Belgian Brothers of Charity have not reappointed two pro-euthanasia board members who allowed a protocol that allowed hospitals owned by the religious congregation to perform euthanasia in limited circumstances. Read more
Over 3,000 Egyptian churches’ wait for legal recognition
Thursday, November 8th, 2018More than 3,000 Egyptian churches and church-affiliated buildings are still waiting for legal recognition from the Egyptian government. They have been waiting for nearly two years after legislation, seen by some as positive step for religious freedom in the Muslim-majority country, was passed. Read more