Several Dublin councillors are trying to stop the sale to a Japanese hotel chain of the last Magdalene Laundry building still in state possession. They have the support of over 9,500 people who have signed a petition to stop the sale. The Magdalene Laundries were Catholic-run workhouses for “fallen women”, unmarried mothers and orphans. The Read more
Lay support could contribute to priests’ “essential human formation” and provide their lives with the “necessary spiritual solidarity,” Cardinal Beniamino Stella says. Stella, who is the prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, believes if the laity were more involved in priestly formation, the crisis facing the church would not be so grave. In his view, Read more
Ebola has such a stigma in the Congo that people are afraid of being inoculated against it. Health officials face a two-pronged challenge in combating the deadly virus: one, the Congo is a war zone. The other is the virus’s perceived disgrace and people’s fears of the unknown. To get around these challenges, one local Read more
Fostering unity in Europe is something “the Church must never cease working at or doing something for,” Cardinal Reinhard Marx says. “The Church has always viewed the unity of Europe positively, even today. “Nationalism is one of the biggest causes of war,” adds Marx, who is the President of the German Bishops’ Conference. During a Read more
Cubans should reject the redefinition of marriage. They should find “other legal ways” to protect gay unions, Cuban archbishop Dionisio Garcia says. Garcia was responding to efforts made by Cuban dictator Raúl Castro’s daughter Mariela, who is pressing to have gay marriage legalised in Cuba. This means marriage will need to be legally redefined. Castro Read more
Two Malaysian Muslim lesbians received a public caning after being convicted under Islamic laws of attempting to have sexual relations. Lawyers and activists say the women, aged 22 and 32, were seated on stools facing the judges and given six strokes from a light rattan cane on their backs by female prison officers. More than Read more
Priests in Venezuela are a beacon of hope, providing spiritual solace is soaring as nation teeters on brink of collapse. The South American nation is facing a crippled economy amid falling oil prices, U.S. sanctions, hyperinflation and food shortages, according to a report in a diocesan paper in the United States.Read more
The results of last month’s survey asking for opinions on a wide range of topics about the Catholic Church and social issues have been released by the Saint Leo University Polling Institute. One question asked about Pope Francis and the Church’s handling of sexual abuse cases. The survey found 64 percent view the Pope favourably. Read more
The President of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference Archbishop Mark Coleridge said at a press conference last Friday that priests will not break the seal of confession, even if that means they might face criminal charges. “We don’t believe it will make children safer, and in certain cases, we think it could make children less safe. Read more
A Catholic priest gave thanks to the Indian Muslim community in a Kerala mosque to express his gratitude for their help in feeding victims of deadly floods a fortnight ago. Father Sanu Puthussery delivered a thanksgiving speech at the prayer hall during Friday prayers last week. He told the Muslim congregation that during the floods Read more