Children are less likely to know the Our Father but are more likely to say religion is more important to them than children of 40 years ago, a BBC study shows. The survey marked 40 years since Newsround was first broadcast. The programme surveyed over 1,000 children aged 6-12 and 1,000 adults who’d have been Read more
Ireland is still the Catholic country of the English-speaking world reports the Irish Times. Results of the April 2011 census, published Friday, report 84% of Ireland’s population (3.86 million), describe themselves Catholic. The 179,889 increase in Catholics however represents a 2.8% drop from the 2006 figure. The percentage drop is put down to the the fact that Read more
Cuba has responded to Pope Benedict’s visit by announcing that this coming Good Friday will become a ‘one-time’ national holiday. Minutes before Benedict departed from Cuba on March 28, President Raul Castro told the Pope of his desire to declare Friday, April 6 a holiday “as an exception, and in consideration to His Holiness and Read more
Catholic girls who were originally barred from their school graduation for placing images of themselves in bikinis at a beach party on their facebook pages will be able to join the ceremony. A regional court in Cebu has cleared the way for the students saying the officials at St Teresa’s College had no right to Read more
The social justice concerns users of Apple iPhones, iPads, iPods and Mac computers about working conditions in China’s Foxconn electronics factories have been addressed by Apple and Foxconn. Not only do workers face long hours, but they also face many hazardous conditions. There have been reports of injuries, and some employees have attempted suicide. In Read more
California’s highest court has told six brothers they had waited too long to bring sexual abuse claims against a priest whom they allege molested them during the 1970’s. The opportunity to bring the claims was given during in 2003 when a one-year window for old complaints against priests was granted by the state. The court Read more
At a 40 minute personal meeting between Cuban president Raul Castro and Pope Benedict, the Holy Father asked for Cuba to recognise Good Friday as a holiday. Noting that John Paul II asked a similar request of Fidel Castro about Christmas and it was restored as a national holiday, Vatican Spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi SJ said, Read more
Pope Benedict has announced that the collection money from Holy Thursday evening Mass in the basilica of St John Lateran will be used for humanitarian aid in support of Syrian refugees. The Maronite Archbishop of Damascus Samir Nassar, labelled the Pope’s action is “a very generous gesture”. “It is a gesture of closeness and solidarity that has Read more
A letter read at all churches and chapels of the German district of the Priestly Fraternity of St Pius X says the discussions between the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) and the Vatican are at a crucial point, but there opportunity for hope. “We are have thus arrived at a crucial point. Even if the letter Read more
Vietnam authorities deny blocking a Vatican delegation from entering the country. The Bangkok Post reported on Tuesday that Vietnam had revoked visas for a Vatican delegation working to advance the beatification of former assistant archbishop Francois-Xavier Van Thuan. “Vietnamese authorities have not received any official request from the Vatican for such work to take place Read more