The Dalai Lama says refugees should return to their homelands. The spiritual leader of the Tibetan Buddhist people says in his opinion Europeans should be the sole decider of politics in Europe. He made his comments in Malmo, Sweden. Malmo is a city with a significant immigrant population. The Dalai Lama went on to say Read more
Canadian cardinal Marc Ouellet says women should assess seminarians’ suitability for the priesthood and help with their training. This would help prevent future sex abuse, says Ouellet the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. He also thinks bishops should also be chosen more carefully. “We are facing a crisis in the life of the church… Read more
The Labour Party in Britain wants early pregnancy gender tests banned because of fears it may lead to girls being selectively aborted. Naz Shah, the party’s spokeswoman for women and equalities, said it was “absolutely wrong” that women were pressurised to have abortions if the baby was expected to be a girl. Read more
The death penalty is likely for three top Muslim clerics in Saudi Arabia. Rights activist claim the clerics are facing charges of promoting an extremist agenda. The clerics’ prosecution and possible execution is unusual in Saudi Arabia where religious leaders are usually seen as untouchable. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been taking strong action Read more
Making saints out of rape victims has been criticised by a senior editor of a Catholic magazine. Mollie Wilson O’Reilly, an editor at large and columnist for the US-based Commonweal magazine, was sepcifically referring to the recent beatification of Anna Kolesárová. Kolesárová was a sixteen-year old Slovak girl who was murdered in front of her Read more
The GIVEN Institute is a new nonprofit organisation dedicated to mentoring young Catholic women through a high-caliber, faith-focused leadership programme. Launched last week, the Institute engages and supports young women in evangelisation, vocational discernment and professional advancement. “There are plenty of leadership programs in the private sector; there is no reason we can’t do it Read more
The Dalai Lama says he has known about sexually abusive Buddhist teachers since the 1990s. These allegations are “nothing new,” he says. The Dalai Lama, who is the Tibetan spiritual leader, was visiting the Netherlands when he commented publicly about sex abuse. He had been invited to visit the Netherlands by four victims of sexual Read more
An alt-right compound in the foothills around Rome is being developed by former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon. Bannon is helping establish the institute in collaboration with conservative Catholic organization Dignitatis Humanae Institute. Bannon, who was in Rome last weekend meeting with Benjamin Harnwell, director of the Dignitatis Humanae, confirmed the purpose was to Read more
Under a new landmark deal with the Vatican, Beijing will recognise Pope Francis as the head of China’s Catholics. In return, the Vatican will recognise excommunicated Chinese bishops. The deal will end a long struggle between Beijing’s Communist rulers and the pope over who chooses the leaders of Catholicism in China. “It is a baby Read more
Pope Francis has told members of the Sicilian mafia, who are regular worshippers, that they cannot believe in God and be Mafiosi. Francis was in Sicily on the weekend to honour a priest murdered by the mob 25 years ago while trying to save youngsters in poor neighbourhoods from falling into their hands. “You can’t Read more