Facebook and other social media platforms reach millions of people each year. “You’ll see a lot of energy around religious issues … often angry … but very little argument,” US Bishop, Robert Barron says. His Facebook talk “How to have a religious argument” aims to teach people how to argue better on the internet.Read more
World
Catholic women – new writing
Thursday, September 21st, 2017Catholic women are often overlooked in Church history. Donna Quinn in Chicago Catholic Women: Its Role in Founding the Catholic Women’s Movement and Marian Ronan and Mary O’Brien in Women of Vision: Sixteen Founders of the International Grail Movement are changing this. Read more
Vatican wartime archives online
Thursday, September 21st, 2017Some of the Vatican wartime archives will soon be available free of charge online. However, the documents won’t include material directly relating to Pius XII. Pope Pius XII’s attitude and behaviour towards the Holocaust has often been criticised. Read more
Hillary Clinton and the Pope’s helpful advice
Monday, September 18th, 2017
Hillary Clinton was left feeling devastated and angry after losing the US presidential election to Donald Trump. Six months later she was still struggling to understand why she and her supporters should be judged so differently from Trump and his supporters. However in a new book she has just published, Clinton explains how Pope Francis Read more
Vatican recalls child pornography diplomat from Washington
Monday, September 18th, 2017
The Vatican is investigating a Holy See diplomat accused of accessing child pornography while stationed in Washington DC. Last month the United States government notified the Holy See of “a possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images” by a priest working as a diplomat in Washington. Despite the US State Department asking the Read more
Brothers of Charity promise not to support euthanasia
Monday, September 18th, 2017
The Belgian Brothers of Charity are saying they may withdraw their sponsorship of 15 Belgian hospitals after the hospital board voted to ignore a Vatican demand not to perform euthanasia at their facilities. The head of the order, Brother René Stockman, says the Brothers would remain faithful to the Church’s teaching, despite serious civil pressure Read more
Latin Mass fans celebrate their version of liturgy
Monday, September 18th, 2017
Fans of the Latin Mass are in Rome on their annual pilgrimage at present. At the conference last Thursday marking the 10th anniversary of Benedict’s decree liberalizing use of the Latin Mass, the meeting organizer, the Rev. Vincenzo Nuara, didn’t even mention Pope Francis in his opening remarks. Among those at the conference was Cardinal Read more
Australia’s PM believes in religious freedom more strongly than in same-gender marriage
Monday, September 18th, 2017
“As strongly as I believe in the right of same-sex couples to marry, even more strongly do I believe in religious freedom,” says Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. A supporter of same-gender marriage, Turnbull defended the right of a church to refuse to marry a young couple who had posted support for same-sex unions on social media. He Read more
Children banned from going to church in China
Monday, September 18th, 2017Children have been banned from attending church in China, even with their parents. The decision to ban them was made by four regional governments. Unapproved Catholic and Protestant churches in China are also being investigated at present. Read more
Refugees’ promised land – Australia
Monday, September 18th, 2017Australia is viewed as “the promised land” by persecuted Catholics in the Middle East. An Iraqi Catholic priest says Australia has led the way in welcoming thousands of Christians who have been forced to leave their homes because of violence from radical militant groups such as the Islamic State. Read more