Six months after an explosion ripped through the Port of Beirut, killing more than 200 people, injuring 7,500, and causing $15 billion in property damage, efforts are ongoing to rebuild the Lebanese capital.
International News
Consecrated Eucharist Found Intact Following Explosion at Madrid Parish Center
Following an explosion caused by a gas leak in the Archdiocese of Madrid, a consecrated host was found fully intact amid the rubble in the tabernacle at the Church of Our Lady of La Paloma.
Brazil’s Amazon Region Hit Hard by COVID Second Wave
A devastating second wave of COVID-19 in Amazonas State has caused the healthcare system to collapse and raised the mortality rate in the region to 190 deaths per 100,000 people, the highest one in Brazil. The state had at least 266,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 8,000 deaths.
WYD Organizers Release Official Theme Song for Lisbon 2023 Gathering
World Youth Day organizers released the winning theme song for the international gathering in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2023.
Pope Francis: Failure to Remember Holocaust Will Lead World Down Same Path
Remembering the Holocaust and its victims is not only an act of solidarity but also serves as a warning to humanity that such horrors could happen again, Pope Francis said.
Iraqi Prelate Still Confident in Papal Visit Despite Recent Terrorism
Despite renewed security concerns after a series of recent terrorist attacks, one of Iraq’s top prelates has said preparations for Pope Francis’ upcoming visit are still underway, calling it a sign of hope that peace is possible in the war-torn nation.
Biden’s Previous Encounters With Pope Francis May Offer Insight Into his Future Relationship With the Church
In line with papal tradition, Pope Francis relayed well wishes and messages of hope and prayer to President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20. Biden is the second Catholic president, following John F. Kennedy, who was elected as the United States’s 35th president in Nov. 1960.
Mayor in Spain Removes Cross From Convent, Throws it in Dump
The mayor of a small town in southern Spain forcibly removed a cross from the doors of a convent. The crucifix was then found in a garbage dump. The events took place last week in the town of Aguilar de la Frontera, in the Diocese of Cordoba, in the Andalusia region in southern Spain.
Analysis: Latest Papal Health Scare Doesn’t Mean the End, But it May Mean Change
To sum up, for once the collective reaction to a papal health scare seems about right, which is to say, avoiding panic. For now, the interesting thing to watch may not be whether Pope Francis is up to the job, but how the job may evolve to suit what he’s up to.
Polish Catholics Still Hope For Canonization of Beloved Cardinal Wyszyński
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the beatification in Poland for the late Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński. Still, Polish Catholics in Brooklyn and Queens maintain their support for the cardinal’s cause for sainthood.