On the morning of Easter Sunday 2024, Pope Francis presided over Mass in St Peter’s Square before delivering his urbi et orbi message and blessing from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica in the presence of an estimated 60,000 people. “Urbi et orbi” means “To the city [of Rome] and to the world.” I Read more
A woman with Down syndrome is fighting the UK abortion law at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Heidi Crowter says the current legislation discriminates against people with disabilities. It allows abortion up to birth if the foetus has a condition such as Down syndrome. “I am taking this case to Strasbourg because it Read more
The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Service of Charity is holding a thermal shirt drive to help people in Ukraine, who are facing an energy emergency amid the war. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the pope’s almoner, says the charity office is “already stocking up” on thermal shirts for men, women and children. He is encouraging others to Read more
The shortest definition of religion is “interruption,” says Bishop Georg Bätzing (pictured). Some forms of continuity people seek from religion are “frankly suspect,” the president of the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference asserts. Bätzing made the comments during the bishops’ plenary assembly in a live-streamed Mass on Tuesday. In his homily he said “all too surely Read more
An attack on Sunday at a Greek Orthodox church in Syria resulted in two deaths and twelve injuries. It was the newly-built Hagia Sophia Church’s inaugural celebration. The weapons landed just 15 meters from where clerics and the congregation were gathered in front of the building. The attack has been variously attributed to rockets, missiles Read more
Cologne’s cardinal, Rainer Maria Woelki, for a second time, has offered his resignation to Pope Francis. Woelki has been facing strong criticism for several months for his responses to allegations of child abuse in the Church. He chose to take a five-month break from his duties last September after the Vatican report accused him of Read more
Last October, Jean-Marc Sauvé gave the French Bishops’ Conference the report he and members of the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE) had compiled. Then in November, the French Catholic Academy published a 15-page critique of the report. The Academy has about 70 members. “The most serious defects of the CIASE report, Read more
The theme “Moved by Hope” inspired hundreds of short film submissions from young people from across the world to a new Catholic-run international film festival. The festival strives to embrace, encourage and empower every young person to become the voice of hope and solidarity. “You, young people, are the architects of the future, signs of Read more
Pope Francis says the two-year process leading to the 2023 synod on synodality is not about “gathering opinions,” but “listening to the Holy Spirit.” He repeatedly stressed the Holy Spirit’s role in decision-making. The three-phase synod opens next month with a diocesan phase, which will run until April. A second, continental phase will take place Read more
The US Catholic Medical Association has joined a lawsuit against a Biden administration rule. They say the transgender mandate – reintroduced in May – tramples the conscience rights of doctors opposed to gender-transitioning procedures. The mandate does not provide exemptions for doctors from performing gender-transitioning procedures after a mental health professional’s referral. It overrules their Read more