Australian Liberal MP Julian Leeser has urged his country’s Catholics to be a stronger voice in public life and not underestimate their influence for good. In a powerful address at the Australian Catholic University’s Melbourne campus on 11 October Mr Leeser (pictured), known for his Jewish faith, stressed that the Catholic Church possesses a unique Read more
Hamas’s Israeli child hostages (some pictured) have a champion in the Jerusalem Catholic Patriarch. He says he’s willing to offer himself to Hamas in exchange for the children being held in Gaza. Pope Francis’ representative in the Holy Land, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, made the comment on Monday during a video conference. Child hostages About 12 Read more
Lay apostolate groups worldwide have made their voices heard at the synod in Rome. Current and former lay leaders from 33 countries – many in the Global South – all endorsed and are signatories to a joint statement “Contribution to the First Assembly of the Synod on Synodality”. Lay apostolate group concerns Australian Cardijn Institute Read more
The “niche issue” issue of women priests and deacons distracts the Church from addressing what women really need, a theologian participating in the Synod on Synodality says. “As a woman, I’m not focused at all on the fact that I’m not a priest,” says Professor Renée Köhler-Ryan (pictured). Köhler-Ryan is the National Head of School Read more
The Japanese branch of the Unification Church on Monday criticised the Japanese government’s request for a court order to dissolve the group, saying it’s based on groundless accusations and is a serious threat to religious freedom and human rights of its followers. Japan’s Education Ministry on Friday asked the Tokyo District Court to revoke the Read more
Following a series of surprise attacks against Israel by Hamas on Oct 7, hundreds of military air strikes have been launched across the Gaza Strip as a form of retaliation by the Israeli government. The UN reports that Gaza’s entire population is being deprived of electricity, water, fuel supplies, food, and medicine. Ongoing bombardments and Read more
Pope Francis met Tuesday at his residence with leadership from the US LGBT organisation New Ways Ministry. The group had previously been denounced by both the US Bishops’ Conference and the Vatican’s doctrinal office for causing confusion on sexual morality among the Catholic faithful. It’s unclear what the topic of the meeting was. The organisation Read more
Eight priests have been transferred to a prison notorious for torture and deplorable conditions as the Nicaraguan regime again ramps up its repression of the Catholic Church. The churchmen were moved Oct 15 to El Chipote prison on the outskirts of the nation’s capital, Managua, after being held under house arrest in the National Seminary Read more
In a stunning revelation, it has been discovered that private deliberations at the Synod on Synodality have been accessible through an unsecured server. According to The Pillar news outlet, the records contain vital information. This includes rosters of synodal participants and their working group assignments. Reports filed by these working groups at the conclusion of the Read more
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, strongly denounced the recent Hamas attack on Israel, labelling it as “inhuman”. “The release of Israeli hostages and the protection of innocent lives in Gaza are at the heart of the problem created by Hamas’ attack and the response of the Israeli army,” said Parolin. “They are Read more