Arnaud Beltrame, the French gendarme who died saving hostages’ lives at a supermarket siege last week, was given a state funeral in Paris. In tribute to Beltrame, President Emmanuel Macron made reference to Joan of Arc, members of the French resistance and others who had died for the country. Beltrame, who was a devout Catholic, Read more
Ampleforth Abbey has lost its responsibility for managing pupil welfare. The UK Charities Commission said the Abbey had lost its pupil welfare responsibilities “as a result of continued concerns about the extent to which current safeguarding risks to pupils at the schools run by the [Ampleforth] charities are being adequately managed”. The Charities Commission is Read more
Survivors of a Canadian system that forced generations of indigenous children into mainly Catholic-run boarding schools won’t be getting an apology from Pope Francis. The Canadian Council of Bishops (CCB) said last week “after carefully considering the request” for an apology, Francis “felt that he could not personally respond”. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed Read more
A Pakistani Catholic was beaten to death by hospital staff after he objected to his pregnant sister being slapped. The attack has been condemned by the country’s church leaders. Suneel Saleem, 34, was critically injured when about 20 security guards and 14 doctors punched and attacked him and other family members with batons, chairs and belts. Read more
Prince Charles spoke of persecuted Christians in his Easter message, offering support and telling them “they are not forgotten.” “I admire and greatly respect all those of you who find it in your hearts to pray for those who persecute you and, following the example of Christ, seek forgiveness for your enemies,” he said. The Read more
Australian church leaders have urged congregations to forgive the country’s disgraced cricketers. The scandal that has exposed the country’s top cricketers cheating tactics has prompted church leaders to offer congregations guidance on forgiveness over the Easter weekend. Read more
A South African billionaire mining magnate has pledged over 8.5 million rand (US$22.6 million) to schools and churches in Johannesburg’s Soweto Township. Patrice Motsepe gave an inspiring speech about the role the church plays in sculpting young minds before day his foundation made the donation. Read more
Interfaith unity has seen Orthodox Christians and Muslims in the Occupied West Bank join together in a march to remember those who were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza last month. Palestinian Orthodox Christians limited their celebrations on Palm Sunday, restricting the occasion to religious rituals to mourn the deaths of 17 Gazans killed in Read more
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says he has “learned to be ashamed again of the Church”. He made the statement while giving evidence on the second-last day of a clergy sex abuse inquiry. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is looking into the Diocese of Chichester, where dozens of clergy have been accused Read more
Aborting a child because it has Down’s syndrome violates human rights and can be considered genocide. “Here at the United Nations (UN) there is much sincere talk and normally passionate action to fight against unjust discrimination,” said Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Vatican nuncio to the United Nations. He pointed to a double standard when he appeared Read more