The Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, has urged for increased Catholic aid to support prisoners of war and civilians freed from Russian captivity, following reports of “horror stories” from those released. The archbishop wants more international support in areas where the Ukrainian government struggles to provide adequate resources. Archbishop Kulbokas highlighted three critical Read more
The Nicaragua government has dramatically escalated its repression of the Catholic Church and civil society, with more than 870 church attacks reported since 2018. Under President Daniel Ortega, incidents against the Catholic church have included arson, harassment and the arrest of clergy. This crackdown reflects the Ortega regime’s broader strategy to silence dissenting voices, particularly Read more
Church leaders and climate activists have found fault with international lending agencies, including the World Bank, for funding fossil fuel and coal projects in the Philippines. “We stand in solidarity with the communities which are hit by coal power projects,” said Father Warren Puno, director of the Ministry of Ecology in south-central Luzon. “This is Read more
Three major Catholic aid agencies are urging Australia, Canada and New Zealand’s leaders to take immediate diplomatic action over the “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip The agencies working in the area are warning that starvation and famine threaten hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians. Catastrophic conditions in Gaza In a joint statement, the Read more
Libya needs global solidarity after its devastating and deadly floods, Pope Francis says. There’s a desperate search for thousands of people missing after a powerful storm burst dams near the Mediterranean city of Derna on 10 September. That event unleashed a torrent of water that devastated at least a quarter of Derna’s buildings. Buildings along Read more
Caritas agencies are responding to the devastating earthquake in Morocco, where over 2,600 lives have been lost and thousands have been injured. The 6.8 magnitude earthquake is the strongest in over a century. Entire buildings have collapsed, and there are reports some remote villages have been completely destroyed, leaving people trapped or homeless. Many families Read more
Kirsty Robertson says her new role as vice-president of Caritas Internationalis is both a privilege and the fulfilment of an “unbelievable journey.” Ms Robertson, 45, joined Caritas Australia based at North Sydney in a junior position more than 20 years ago. She has spent the intervening years dedicated to humanitarian work there and in other Read more
Charity – caritas – is our very life; it is what makes us “be” what we are. When we embrace God’s love and when we love one another in him, we plumb the depths of our identity, as individuals and as Church, and the meaning of our existence. We understand not only how important our own lives are, but Read more
Pope Francis is urging people to pray and offer concrete support for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked both countries last week, toppling buildings and killing tens of thousands. Hearing the call, the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) will be providing at least NZ$800,000 of immediate Read more
Back in the late 1960s and 1970s, detractors of St. Paul VI dubbed him the “Hamlet Pope” for his alleged waffling and the perceived fashion in which he would agonise over difficult decisions. Whether that image of the pontiff was fair or not, it stuck, so much so that it featured in the opening paragraphs Read more