In the middle of the current wave of political unrest, hunger and death, Venezuelan people are finding forgiveness is possible and there is hope for a better future. Violent demonstrations and attacks since the end of March have seen 92 people killed and over 1,500 injured. The new change in Venezuelan people’s attitudes began with Read more
The Global Catholic Climate Movement aims to persuade a million Catholics to pledge their support for Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si. Signatories agree to pray with and for creation, live more simply and to advocate to protect the environment – our common home. Francis has given the “Laudato Si‘ Pledge Campaign” his Read more
The Church is doing whatever it can to strengthen all family types, including those often considered non-traditional, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said during a recent visit to Ireland. Speaking last week at the “Let’s Talk Family: Let’s Be Family” conference in Ireland, Schönborn endorsed family life. “[Family is]the survival network of the future” and “will remain Read more
While the Australian Catholic Church says it is “working hard to prevent child abuse from happening again”, what does this mean? One priest has adopted strategies to ensure his church is a safe place. These include, for example, ensuring young altar servers do not change into their robes without parental supervision. “Now the door to Read more
Hospitality for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage is essential say French and Spanish bishops. They are offering guidelines to those who host the pilgrims suggesting how they can welcome and care for their spiritual needs. Read more
“Sometimes these things which are evil can really, maybe, wake some people up. We really have to take our faith seriously and live it,” a Catholic priest said about a proposed monument to Satan in a US war veterans memorial park. The monument design is for a black cube with Satanic symbols and an offering Read more
Pope Francis sent out an Apostolic Letter on Tuesday creating a new beatification category for a Servant of God to be declared Blessed. This category is distinct from martyrdom through “oblatio vitae, or “the free offering of their life” for love of God and neighbour. The letter’s title, Maiorem hac dilectionem, comes from Our Lord’s Read more
Tens of thousands of of pro-life supporters took part in the annual ‘Rally for Life’ march in Dublin last week. It was organised by groups who want to preserve the Eighth Amendment. Article 40.3.3 of the Irish Constitution, known as the Eighth Amendment, was voted into the Irish Constitution by referendum in 1983. The amendment Read more
Cardiff’s Archbishop George Stack says lottery grant administrators have no idea what a sacred space is and their concept of a Catholic church’s use and design are lacking. The grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) are earmarked to preserve, repair and refurbish buildings. Stack says where the Fund has benefited many churches in recent Read more
The World Communion of Reformed churches (WCR) representing about 80 million Christians signed a “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” with Catholic, Lutheran and Methodist leaders last week in Wittenberg, Germany. It was in Wittenberg in 1517 that Martin Luther unveiled the 95 Theses that launched the Reformation. Centuries of dispute followed about whether Read more