Pope Francis condemned the horror of Auschwitz on Wednesday (Aug. 3), saying he felt the “presence of all the souls who passed through” the concentration camp that he visited during his trip to Poland last week. Speaking at his first weekly public audience at the Vatican since June, the pope reflected on his visit to Read more
World
Pope Announces Panama Will Host Next WYD in 2019
Friday, August 5th, 2016The venue for next World Youth Day (WYD) will be in Panama. So said Pope Francis on Sunday when he officially closed WYD in Krakow, thanking the thousands of youth who traveled across the world to participate. “I am happy to announce that the next World Youth Day — after the two that will be Read more
A World Vision Donor Sponsored a Boy. The Outcome Was a Mystery to Both.
Friday, August 5th, 2016The Sabateen clan recognized the dewy-eyed boy in the World Vision sponsorship card from his birth date and the striped collar of his cardigan. His mother used to make him wear that sweater on special occasions. It was their Othman, who turned 18 on Monday but at the time was 5. None of his relatives Read more
Withhold judgment on Cardinal Pell abuse claims
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016
Withhold judgement, said Pope Francis to the press. He was referring to reports that senior Vatican official Cardinal George Pell had inappropriate sexual contact with minors in the past. He said allegations against the prelate are still being investigated by Australian authorities. In a short press conference aboard the papal flight back from Poland Sunday, Read more
Catholic Priest Leads Inter-religious Center at the Olympics
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016
The Catholic priest coordinating the inter-religious center for athletes at the Olympic Village is looking forward to “very successful spiritual mission”. “We hope that the center will encourage harmony and unity among different countries and among different religions,” the coordinator Father Leandro Lenin Tavares says. “We are a symbol of peace, brotherhood and the unity Read more
Vatican Bank officers linked to fossil fuel industry
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016
Vatican Bank board members have been called out by Greenpeace because of their links to the fossil fuel sector. According to a Greenpeace Energydesk investigation, Vatican Bank board member Sir Michael Hintze is the chief executive of the private hedge fund CQS Cayman, registered on the Cayman islands. The fund holds stocks worth $8.3 million Read more
Two Muslim views – gays ok, sex slavery ok
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016
Muslim views differ. One says “Don’t harm gays”. The other says it’s ok to have a sex slave”. Both are Muslim. At one end of the spectrum, Grand Mufti Shawki Allam, a leading religious leader in Egypt, has spoken up against violence against gay people. According to a report in Mamba Online: “Each person is Read more
Muslims go to Mass in France and Italy
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016
In a show of solidarity with their Catholic neighbours, Muslims all over France attended Mass on Sunday, five days after a murderous claimed attack on a Catholic priest in Normandy. France’s Muslim council, the CFCM, urged Muslims to show “solidarity and compassion” over Father Jacques Hamel’s murder. “We are all Catholics of France,” said Anouar Read more
Anti-Semitism is back
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016Anti-Semitism is back, something that should compel Christians and Jews to work together because the problem affects them all. This was one of the messages aired during a recent seminar held by the Yad VaShem memorial at the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem. “Evil cannot be overlooked. You cannot put your head in the Read more
Silicon Valley’s Hippest Church Is Going Public
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016Facebook’s the way to go to entice the young and the hip to church. Use startup buzzwords, a slick website and catchy music. That seems to be the current answer to the question: How do you market religion to the worker who has everything? At Easter, C3 Silicon Valley (C3SV) — an independent offshoot of Read more