In Portugal, thousands reflect with Pope on modern worries, endangered planet
Lisbon, Portugal Reuters Hundreds of thousands of young people reflected on their anxieties, enslavement to the “tyranny” of social media and yearning to save the planet at a huge outdoor rally with Pope Francis on Friday. It took nearly an hour for the open vehicle carrying the 86-year-old Pope to drive slowly through the crowd at Lisbon’s […]
Pope makes final bid for peace, forgiveness in South Sudan
Juba, South Sudan AP Pope Francis made a final appeal for peace in South Sudan on Sunday as he celebrated Mass before tens of thousands of people to close out an unusual mission by Christian religious leaders to nudge forward the country’s recovery from civil war. On the last day of his African pilgrimage, Francis […]
Vatican: Benedict in stable condition, participated in Mass
Rome, Italy AP Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was in stable condition Friday after suffering a decline in his health and participated in a private Mass in his room, the Vatican said, as the faithful in Rome honoured “this last stretch of his pilgrimage”. The Vatican provided a new medical bulletin Friday afternoon saying Benedict had […]
Italy’s Catholic Church reintroduces handshakes during Mass
Rome, Italy Reuters Italy’s Catholic Church is reintroducing handshakes for the “sign of peace” during Mass as part of a wider relaxation of anti-COVID-19 measures. “It will be possible to restore the usual form of exchanging the sign of peace,” the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI) said in a letter to bishops. A limited number of […]
Some Dutch churches to skip Mass due to energy costs, priest shortage
Amsterdam, The Netherlands Reuters Rocketing energy bills and a shortage of priests have driven a Dutch Roman Catholic Diocese to cut down on religious services in some churches. The southern Diocese of Roermond, which oversee roughly 290 churches in the province of Limburg, wrote to its parishes last week to encourage some to periodically skip […]
Updated: Pope seeks forgiveness for sexual abuse at Canadian residential schools
Updated: 11:45am (AEST) Sainte-Anne-De-Beaupre, Quebec, Canada Reuters Pope Francis on Thursday asked for forgiveness for sexual abuse at Canadian schools for Indigenous children run by Catholic orders, addressing a deep wound that many survivors wanted him to acknowledge during his apology tour in Canada. Pope Francis greets the faithful before presiding over a Mass at […]
Pope nixes procession but plans Mass for Congolese on 3rd July
Rome, Italy AP Pope Francis cancelled his participation in a religious procession this weekend due to ongoing knee pain, but said Monday he hoped to celebrate a special Mass for Italy’s Congolese community after he had to postpone his planned visit to Africa. “We’ll bring Kinshasa to St Peter’s,” Francis told a group of missionary […]
Philippines cancels ‘Black Nazarene’ parade again on COVID-19 concerns
Manila, The Philippines Reuters Philippine authorities have cancelled an annual procession, which normally draws millions of Catholic devotees accompanying a black wooden statue of Jesus Christ through the streets of Manila, for a second straight year due to coronavirus concerns. The government’s coronavirus task force cancelled the “Black Nazerene” procession, which is one of the […]
Pope to skip Sunday Mass but will make regular noon address – Vatican
Vatican City Reuters Pope Francis will skip a Mass on Sunday that he had been scheduled to say before his recent surgery, but the Vatican said there was no cause for alarm and that it was part of normal convalescence. Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer from a balcony of the Gemelli hospital, as he […]
US Catholic bishops OK steps toward possible rebuke of Biden
AP US Catholic bishops overwhelmingly approved the drafting of a “teaching document” that many of them hope will rebuke Catholic politicians, including President Joe Biden, for receiving Communion despite their support for abortion rights. The decision, vehemently opposed by a minority of bishops, came despite appeals from the Vatican for a more cautious and collegial […]