Suicide bombers attacked a Christian church in Quetta, Pakistan on Sunday. The Bethel Memorial Methodist Church, which was targeted in the attack, was on high alert as Christian places of worship are often targeted by Islamist extremists over the Christmas season. Over 400 people were attending a service at the time of the attack. Nine Read more
Anti-semitism is on the rise in Sweden. Church and state leaders have spoken out against the violence. There have been many attacks against the Swedish Jewish community over the past few years, with two during the past week. It is thought the most recent events are connected with United States President Donald Trump’s recognition of Read more
Italy’s “euthanasia in disguise” bill has been passed into law 30 years after it was first mooted. The law allows citizens to create advance directives about their treatment. These directives express their final wishes for medical treatment in case they lose the ability to communicate their choice. The Italian senate passed the bill into law Read more
Proclaiming Christianity could be seen as a hate crime in the United Kingdom. However, the British government is refusing to say whether it is or not. The question arose when Lord Pearson of Rannoch raised a question on the issue in the House of Lords. In response, he says the government failed to state clearly Read more
Eight priests who were beaten by 100 Hindu extremists outside an Indian police station and had their vehicle burned say the police did nothing to help them. “They [the Hindu mob] set our vehicle on fire, forcing us to take shelter inside the police station,” Fr Anish Emmanuel says. He says he and his confreres Read more
The Australian Royal Commission’s report into child abuse has made 409 recommendations, 15 of them directed at the Catholic church. In an initial response to the report, a Vatican Press Office released a statement saying the report is a thorough effort that “deserves to be studied seriously.” It reiterated the commitment of the Holy See Read more
Happy birthday wishes greeted Pope Francis as he celebrated his 81st birthday on Sunday. Children were among his party guests in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall. The celebrations included an extra-long pizza, a cake, and a message urging the world — and children in particular — to join in the holiday mood and be joyful. Read more
Retweeting anti-Muslim videos has landed United States President Donald Trump in trouble. The three anti-Muslim videos were posted by the deputy head of a British far-right group who has been convicted of a hate crime. Trump’s actions drew criticism from many quarters, including the British government at 10 Downing Street, which said Trump was “wrong” Read more
Mafia connections between the Catholic church in southern Italy and organised crime are over. When a Sicilian mobster known as the “boss of bosses” died in prison last month, a spokesman for the Italian conference of bishops said it would be “unthinkable” to give him a public funeral. Read more
Bermuda may be the first country to ban same-sex marriage – six months after legalising it. The ruling Progressive Labour Party’s bill to replace same-sex marriage with domestic partnership arrangements was passed in the House of Assembly last Friday. The Domestic Partnership Act 2017 was passed with 24 MPs supporting the bill and 10 opposing Read more