World Youth Day organizers in the United States and Poland remain in touch with diplomatic and security officials in their respective countries to ensure that pilgrims will remain safe during the festival of faith in late July. Security is expected to be extremely tight in Krakow, Poland, the WYD host city, as authorities in both Read more
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Poland and US organizers working to ensure safety of World Youth Day pilgrims
Friday, April 1st, 2016Canadian priest investigated for ‘gambling away’ refugees’ money
Friday, April 1st, 2016A priest in Canada has allegedly gambled away about £266,000 given to him to look after by the relatives of refugees, the Canadian press is reporting. About seven or eight families who belong to St. Joseph’s Chaldean Catholic Church gave Father Amer Saka the money to safeguard for refugees who were due to arrive in Read more
Pope decries indifference to refugees
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016
Pope Francis decried the abandonment of refugees entering Europe in his Palm Sunday homily in the Vatican. “Even as every form of justice is denied to him, Jesus also experiences, in his own flesh, indifference,” the pope said. “Since no one wishes to take responsibility for his fate, I am thinking of so many other Read more
Pope Francis prays for victims of Istanbul bombing
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016
Pope Francis expressed “prayerful solidarity” with victims of the suicide bombing in Istanbul on Saturday. “[Pope Francis grieved] to learn of the casualties caused by the bombing in Istanbul … and he expresses his prayerful solidarity with all touched by this tragedy,” read a telegram to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Read more
Pope hits 1 million Instagram followers in 12 hours
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016
Pope Francis hit one million Instagram followers in only 12 hours after launching his account on Saturday. The pontiff’s first post is a photo of him kneeling in prayer with the message “pray for me” in nine languages. The pope’s Instagram account, with the handle “Franciscus,” broke a record for getting one million followers — Read more
Vatileaks trial adjourns until next month
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016
The Vatican announced that it has adjourned the trial of journalists and others after one of the five accused, PR consultant Francesca Chaouqui, was advised to rest by doctors. Chaouqui, a former member of an economic reform commission established by Pope Francis, is accused of conspiring with Monsignor Lucio Vallejo Balda to leak documents. Vallejo Read more
Israeli restrictions for Holy Week worry Christians
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016
Restrictions imposed by the Israeli government are preventing Christians from worshipping freely in the Holy Land this Holy Week. Yusef Daher, secretary-general of the Jerusalem Interchurch Center, said the network of Israeli police barriers disrupt the flow and number of people who are able to reach the church of the Holy Sepulchre for Good Friday Read more
Pope Francis plans to visit Armenia in late June
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016Although no date has been set, a Vatican spokesman confirmed Pope Francis is considering a trip to Armenia during the second half of June, a year after causing a diplomatic incident by calling the Ottoman-era slaughter of Armenians in the early 1900s a genocide. Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said the pope’s itinerary hasn’t been Read more
Vatican to undertake ecological initiatives during Easter season
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016During Holy Week and in the Easter season, the Vatican will take part in several initiatives highlighting the importance of ecology and the care for creation. The Governorate of Vatican City State announced March 18 that the thousands of floral arrangements for the Easter morning Mass and the pope’s solemn blessing “urbi et orbi” (to Read more
New faith-based films tone down religion, amp up star power
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016For some filmgoers, hearing a movie described as “faith-based” makes it a must-see. But just as many others find the term a turn-off. To reach audiences beyond the Christian churchgoers that generally propel the genre, some producers of faith-based films are ramping up the star power and tamping down the evangelical messages. The latest example Read more