About 160,000 Catholics left the Church in Germany last year. This is a decrease in the 180,000 who left in 2015. The Church is one of the organs of state in Germany and members must pay a church tax. Read more
World
Thousands leave church in Germany
Thursday, July 27th, 2017Vatican fraud trial hears reports about cardinal’s role
Thursday, July 27th, 2017The Vatican fraud trial involving Giuseppe Profiti, former president of the foundation governing Bambino Gesù children’s hospital and Massimo Spina, the foundation’s former treasurer is underway. The court is currently hearing conflicting reports about Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone’s role in the fraud investigation. Bertone is the former Secretary of State under Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Read Read more
Youth winning Jericho: walls tumbling, bridges being built
Monday, July 24th, 2017
A new youth centre in Jericho is uniting Christian and Muslim young people and has become “a school of peaceful co-existence”, as was intended when it opened earlier this year. The school is open to all people in Jericho who are aged 14-29. Most are Muslim. The Franciscan-owned and run centre offers free courses in Read more
The rubbish man and the Pope
Monday, July 24th, 2017
A rubbish man from from Buenos Aires who was severely hurt in an accident early this year received a surprise phone call from Pope Francis last week. Maximiliano Acuña was at work when he was left without legs after a speeding car ran over him. Acuña, who is 33 years old and has five young Read more
Brisbane war memorial vandal blames God and Pope
Monday, July 24th, 2017
One of the four men accused of desecrating a Brisbane war memorial on Ash Wednesday used Pope Francis’s messages of peace to justify the removal of a brass sword from a stone crucifix. In a police interview the day after the alleged desecration, Dowling admitted to removing the sword, and when asked whether he was Read more
Face reality says Jesuit child protection expert
Monday, July 24th, 2017
Facing reality about issues of child abuse is a crucial part of child protection, says Hans Zollner S.J. Father Zollner is both President of the Centre for Child Protection of the Pontifical Gregorian University and a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. He says the detailed report about allegations of sexual Read more
Pope – pray for peace and reconciliation at Temple Mount
Monday, July 24th, 2017
Pope Francis is urging people to pray for peace and reconciliation and has called for “moderation and dialogue” during an upsurge in violence between Israel and the Palestinians over Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Francis says it is with “trepidation” he is following the “grave tensions and violence” that erupted at the holy site on 14 July. Read more
Catholic cathedral refuge for Muslims
Monday, July 24th, 2017A Central African Republic cathedral has become refuge and home to over 2,000 persecuted Muslims. It is now more than two months since they were forced to take refuge at St Peter Claver cathedral in the town of Bangassou after attacks by the mostly Christian anti-Balaka militia. Read more
Catholic pages and the Facebook glitch
Monday, July 24th, 2017Twenty-five Catholic pages were accidentally removed from Facebook for a couple of days last week. Facebook say the problem occurred “as a result of a technical glitch”. “All pages have now been restored. This incident was triggered accidentally by a spam detection tool. We sincerely apologise for the issue this has caused,” Facebook said. Read Read more
Statues of Our Lady sent to replace those ISIS destroyed
Monday, July 24th, 2017Fifteen statues of Our Lady are on their way from Lourdes to the Middle East to replace the ones ISIS destroyed. A French Catholic group Œuvre d’Orient dedicated to helping persecuted Christians, has sent the statues to Iraqi Kurdistan, which has a majority Catholic population. Once they arrive, they will be carried in procession through Read more