Fancy a holiday at the Pope’s house? Pope Francis has opened his private apartments at Castel Gandolfo to tourists. The Castel is about 25 kilometres from Rome. He has only visited Castel Gandolfo a couple of times since his 2013 election. He has never spent the night there. Nor has he moved into his sumptuous Read more
World
Alien life exists – and the Vatican knows
Friday, October 14th, 2016
Alien life exists and the Vatican knows it, according to a leaked email exchange. Wikileaks revealed astronaut Edgar Mitchell wrote several emails to US presidential staffer John Podesta. In them he said aliens want to help people, but fear our violent tendencies. Mitchell, whose email signature said he was the “6th man to walk on the Read more
A million Syrian children’s call for peace brought to UN and EU
Friday, October 14th, 2016
A million Syrian children have signed a petition to the United Nations and the European Union. Three Syrian Church leaders are visiting EU and UN officials in Brussels and Geneva on the children’s behalf this week. Acting as “Ambassadors of the Children,” they will deliver the petition. In it, the children ask for peace in Read more
Problem gambling – Catholic church calls for safeguards
Friday, October 14th, 2016
Problem gambling has led the Catholic Church to urge Singapore’s Government to “continually review” measures to minimise online gambling’s ill effects. The Catholic Church, along with the National Council of Churches in Singapore said it is “deeply concerned” that the Government is sending “confusing and conflicting signals” with the partial lifting of the ban on Read more
Jesuit shot protecting students taking refuge in church
Friday, October 14th, 2016
A Jesuit shot in the face was trying to block police from entering the church where student protesters had taken refuge. Father Graham Pugin had his hands up when he was shot at close range with rubber bullets. Though there has not been an official report on his condition, a video shows Fr. Pugin, his Read more
Philippines drug killings divide once powerful Catholic church
Friday, October 14th, 2016
Philippines drug killings are dividing its once-powerful Catholic church. Some priests say challenging the thousands of killings in President Duterte’s campaign could be dangerous. Others support it. More than 3,600 people have died at the hands of police and suspected vigilantes since Duterte took power in June. Most were small-time drug users and dealers. Duterte Read more
Forty-one baptisms at Chinese church’s 300-year anniversary celebrations
Friday, October 14th, 2016Forty-one baptisms were included in a Chinese Catholic church’s 300-year anniversary celebrations last week. Thousands of people attended St Francis Cathedral of Xi’an in China’s Shaanxi province four days of celebrations. The celebrations included music, lectures, a cultural show, the installation of a relic of St Francis of Assisi and the unveiling of a tablet Read more
Gays, Catholics and Pope Francis’s view confusing clergy
Friday, October 14th, 2016Gays, Catholics and Pope Francis’s view “Who am I to judge?” is confusing the clergy. Now, some gay Catholics and supporters who hoped for rapid acceptance find themselves hampered by many bishops and pastors. Read more
Biased coverage of Syria’s six-year conflict criticised by religious sister
Friday, October 14th, 2016Biased coverage of Syria’s six-year conflict has been criticised by a religious sister working with Christian families in Aleppo. Sister Annie Demerjian, a member of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary, questioned why Western journalists focused on the plight of people in areas held by rebels and jihadis but seldom those in regions controlled by Read more
Pope names 17 New cardinals – mainly from far and away
Tuesday, October 11th, 2016
Pope Francis has named 17 new Cardinals. 13 of them be under 80 years and so eligible to vote in a conclave. Eleven come from places that have never had a cardinal. While historically cardinals have come from certain larger cities known for their Catholic populations or global importance Pope Francis has chosen men from places long Read more