France’s president Emmanuel Macron says a teacher’s murder last week was the work of domestic militant Islamist group. The murdered teacher, Samuel Paty, had discussed caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed with his class earlier this month. After the murder, 16 people were initially detained, by police. They included members of the killer’s family and five Read more
In a written statement covering a range of ethical concerns, the French bishops permanent council urges Catholics to express their opposition to changes to France’s bioethics laws. The proposed reforms have just passed the National Assembly on first reading and should be passed into law by early next year. They will allow assisted procreation to Read more
Attacks on French churches have moved back up to their “normal” level after a reduction during the country’s March 17 to May 11 lockdown. A spokesperson for an organization led by young Catholics, Protège ton église (Protect Your Church) says during the pandemic attacks continued on a smaller scale. This was despite the lockdown rules Read more
Papal nuncio Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Vatican ambassador to France, plans to meet the female candidates individually at the beginning of the new school year. Marie-Automne Thepot’s mobile phone rang on the morning of July 27th and, to her surprise, the call was from the papal nuncio’s office. The 42-year-old project manager at the Paris City Read more
A weekend fire in a French cathedral may have been started deliberately. A 39-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a fire at Nantes historic St Peter and St Paul cathedral. Nantes’ public prosecutor, Pierre Sennès, says the fire appears to have started from three different spots in the cathedral: one at the level Read more
Many French churches in Catholic parishes across France reopened for public Mass last weekend in some hurry and disarray after the government, prompted by the country’s chief administrative court, lifted the ban imposed during the coronavirus lockdown. The interior ministry announced last Friday evening that houses of worship could reopen from that weekend if they Read more
France’s religious gathering ban must be lifted within eight days, says the French Council of State. The Council is France’s highest administrative court. Currently, all gatherings in places of worship are banned except for funerals, which are limited to 20 people. After receiving many complaints, the Council ruled on Monday that the ban on religious Read more
Fewer resources, a lack of priests and merging dioceses are upsetting French Catholic communities in rural areas. Talk of reducing the number of dioceses in country districts is met with hostility from clergy and Catholic faithful alike, who see it as a “view from Paris”. Nonetheless, many wonder if the country’s 100 dioceses aren’t too Read more
Ten people at a five-day megachurch gathering last month in France’s Grand Est region’s fourth largest city have contracted coronavirus. The French health ministry on Mar. 3 urged the thousands of other people who were at the Feb. 17-21 evangelical rally in the Alsatian city of Malhouse to watch for possible symptoms of COVID-19. Five Read more
A 70-year old French nun has been banned from living in a rest home because it cited a strict ban on religious garb and “ostentatious” signs of religion. The home said she must remove her religious habit if she was to live at the publicly-funded residence. Although the nun’s application to live at the home Read more