During a meeting Sept. 19 with the heads of the Spanish bishops’ conference, Pope Francis expressed concern over a measure to legalize euthanasia soon to be discussed by Spain’s Senate.
International News
Sanofi Pasteur Ends Use of Aborted Fetal Tissue for Polio Vaccines
Catholic pro-life leaders say they are seeing some progress in the development of vaccines with the use of ethical animal cell lines instead of cell lines derived from abortions.
Pope Francis Holds Private Meeting With Parents of LGBT Children
Pope Francis told a group of parents of LGBT children Sept.16 that God loves them as they are, and that the Church loves them because they are “children of God.” The pontiff’s words came during a short, private encounter with some 40 Italian mothers and fathers of LGBT children that took place following his Sept.16 general audience.
Ireland Could See Massive Drop in Numbers Going to Mass After Pandemic
Ireland could see the number of Mass-going Catholics drop by nearly a quarter when the COVID-19 pandemic ends.
Catholics in Belarus Criticize Lack of Information on Fate of Archbishop
Catholic representatives in Belarus said they were not invited to talks between Vatican and government officials and criticized a “lack of information” about the fate of their exiled bishops’ conference president.
There Were Five Priests in Aleppo, Syria: Two Died of COVID-19
Four out of the five Franciscan friars working in the war-torn Syrian city of Aleppo tested positive for COVID-19, with two of them dying from the disease.
Life on Venus? Proof God Is Bigger Than We Think, Vatican Astronomer Says
Weighing into the discussion of the possible discovery of life on Venus, the Vatican’s top man on all things outer space has cautioned against getting too speculative, but said that if anything living exists on the planet, it doesn’t change the calculus in terms of God’s relationship with humanity.
A Christian Girl in Pakistan Pleas for Justice
Kidnapped, raped, and forced to convert to Islam while she was only 14 years old. This is the story of Maira Shahbaz, a Christian girl from Punjab, Pakistan.
Israel Signs Diplomatic Pacts With Two Arab States at White House
On Sept. 15 at the White House, Israel signed diplomatic pacts to normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. While specific details of the pacts are not yet public, the three countries will open embassies and establish economic ties including tourism, technology, and energy.
Top Officials Optimistic About Renewal of Vatican-China Deal
Top officials from both China and the Vatican have given indications that the controversial agreement between the two on the appointment of bishops, which expires at the end of September, will be renewed.