Ukrainian Christians are facing violence with a unified front. “To overcome conflicts, to fight hatred with goodness, and to make Ukraine a free and European country: these are the tasks of the Catholic Church in Ukraine”, according to a priest with knowledge of the situation. Christians in Ukraine are facing a difficult experience. Despite the Read more
World
Thousands leave church after atheist adverts
Friday, September 9th, 2016Atheist advertisements have led to thousands of people leaving the Church of Denmark. Between April and June, 10,000 people left the church – the highest number of registered withdrawals since 2007. A campaign by the Danish Atheist Society is being held responsible for the number of leavers – double that recorded between January and March. The campaign’s banner advert includes phrases Read more
St Teresa of Kolkata: pro-life and pro-poverty
Tuesday, September 6th, 2016
St Teresa of Kolkata may have just been made a saint but she has some strong adversaries. Some, like Christopher Hichens who once described her as “a lying, thieving Albanian dwarf”, say she was no friend of the poor but a friend of poverty. To others – both Catholic and otherwise, she “… was a Read more
Ancestor of Princess Diana on path to sainthood
Tuesday, September 6th, 2016
Fr Ignatius Spencer, who was ancestor of Princess Diana, Princes William and Harry and Sir Winston Churchill, has been moved another step closer to canonisation by the Vatican. It emerged this week that Rome’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints has approved moves to designate Fr Ignatius Spencer ‘Venerable’. Youngest son of the 2nd Earl Read more
Stop using cellphones in church
Tuesday, September 6th, 2016
Cellphone use in church has to stop. Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has urged all Christians to cease from the use of phones in places of worship, adding that it is a sign of disrespect to God. Speaking at the dedication of the Catholic Church of Visitation, Festac Town, Lagos on Read more
Pope says its a sin to destroy nature
Tuesday, September 6th, 2016
Environmental destruction is a sin. In what can be called a very drastic and radical departure from traditional Catholic concepts of “sin,” “charity” and good deeds, Pope Francis has actually called the act of destroying environment a “sin.” This is perhaps the first time a leader of an Abrahamic religion has spoken so much about Read more
Gay priest suspended for supporting LGBT rights
Tuesday, September 6th, 2016
Warren Hall, who is a North Jersey priest, has been suspended by his archbishop after expressing support for a basketball coach who lost her job for being gay. This is not the first time Hall has been in trouble for his views. Hall, 53, who was working at a Hoboken church, told Religious News Service (RNS) he Read more
Teach seminarians to live in the real world – Pope Francis
Tuesday, September 6th, 2016
Pope Francis has asked his fellow Jesuits involved in priestly formation to help seminarians understand that in the real world. “Decisions Catholics make in their everyday lives are rarely ethically clear-cut, but rather exist on a spectrum between good and evil,” the pope said. “We need to form future priests not to general and abstract ideas, Read more
Hungarian police recruit ‘border-hunters’
Tuesday, September 6th, 2016Border-hunters, who will reinforce up to 10,000 police and soldiers patrolling a razor-wire fence built to keep migrants out, are being sought by the Hungarian police. The police have advertised for up to 3,000 guards. The new border-hunters, like existing officers, will carry pistols with live ammunition, and have pepper spray, batons, handcuffs and protective Read more
Woman to be ordained Catholic priest
Tuesday, September 6th, 2016Ordaining women is not allowed by canon law – but despite this American woman, Mary Alice Nolan, is going ahead with her ordination as a Catholic priest. The 64-year-old’s ordination will not be acknowledged by the Catholic church, which only allows men to become priests, but the lifelong follower of the faith is not letting Read more