Ordinations in Germany have dropped by 50 per cent in the last decade. The decrease reflects a continuous downward trend, with only 122 diocesan priests ordained in 2005; five decades ago, in 1965, the number was 500. While there were almost 20,000 Catholic priests in Germany in 1990, today their number has already dropped to Read more
The Vatican has called on the international community to expand the definition of a ‘weapon of mass destruction’ to include “devastatingly powerful conventional weapons used to perpetrate war crimes and crimes against humanity.” “Conventional weapons are becoming less and less ‘conventional’ as technological advances elevate their power to destroy to the level of weapons of Read more
“Strange Occurrences in a small Irish village” opens in Irish cinemas on Friday. The film’s title is derived from the international press coverage at the time [Our Lady appeared there]. The film develops a fascinating, vibrant portrait of the phenomenon by examining the vast patchwork of individuals and groups involved. It presents a balanced opportunity Read more
Pope Francis turned his weekly general audience into a prayer service, leading the recitation of the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary after a major earthquake hit central Italy, virtually destroying one town and affecting many others. “On hearing the news of the earthquake that has struck central Italy and which has devastated many areas and Read more
András Heisler, the president of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (Mazsihisz), has returned a state award in protest against the same award being given to Zsolt Bayer, a journalist known for his openly anti-Semitic views. Heisler, who is also a vice president of the World Jewish Congress, wrote on his Facebook page that he was giving back Read more
Babies suffocating to death in their incubators is a result of bombs targeting the Syrian hospitals where they are being treated. Last month, four newborns in incubators fought for their lives in a small hospital in Aleppo, the besieged Syrian city. Then a bomb hit the hospital and cut off power—and oxygen to the incubators. Read more
The burkini – modest swimwear designed for Muslim women – is causing controversy and outrage, with some wanting it banned and others claiming it’s better than togs that expose too much flesh. The ban on the Islamic burkini swimsuit on some French beaches has triggered disdain in English-speaking countries, where outlawing religion-oriented clothing is seen Read more
An Arab-Christian’s murder in Oklahoma has exposed an underside of deadly American tensions targeting US citizens of Arabic descent. His alleged assailant was a man who repeatedly harassed his family with anti-Muslim, anti-Arab language. Khalid Jabara’s killing has caused concern about attitudes in the U.S. “Here, in the United States, Mr. Jabara and his family Read more
Irelands struggle for independence and the outrages committed against Protestants should be remembered, the Republic of Ireland’s President says. Michael D Higgins’s remarks appeared in a transcript of a speech prepared for an annual event on Sunday honouring rebel figure Michael Collins (pictured above). It was circulated to the press before his appearance at the Read more
Child sexual abuse survivors have accused the Church of England of “acting like Pontius Pilate”. The accusations come as a previously unseen document revealed that bishops were explicitly instructed only to give partial apologies to victims – if at all. The partial apologes were a mechanism to avoid being sued. The Telegraph newspaper says legal advice marked Read more