The U.S. Department of State has demanded the release of Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa and other imprisoned Nicaraguan religious leaders following a wave of detentions targeting Catholic clergy over the Christmas season.
International News
Church and World Must ‘Respect, Defend, Esteem’ Women, Pope Says
The world and the Catholic Church must respect and defend women and foster a motherly care for others to end dehumanizing cycles of violence, Pope Francis said.
Exiled Nicaraguan Bishop Asks World’s Bishops ‘Not to Abandon Us’ as Wave of Priest Arrests Ends Year in Dictator-Run Country
Since Christmas, Nicaraguan police and paramilitaries have detained more than a dozen priests, including an archdiocesan vicar, as the Sandinista regime escalates a campaign of terror against the Catholic Church — an institution it has struggled to subdue.
Late Pope Benedict Remembered on First Anniversary of His Death
As an expression of ongoing affection and gratitude for the late Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis led tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square in a round of applause for his predecessor on the first anniversary of his death.
An Iconic Cockerel is Once Again Watching Over Notre Dame in Paris on Top of Its Cross
A new version of an iconic cockerel, or rooster, is once again watching over Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, symbolizing resilience amid destruction after a devastating April 2019 fire. It was installed Dec. 16 atop Notre Dame spire’s cross.
Spiritual or Religious? Both? Pew Releases First Study on Topic
A new Pew Research study of spirituality looks at what people mean when they describe themselves as spiritual and how they distinguish it from being religious.
Pope Condemns Attack on Gaza Parish Where Israeli Sniper Killed 2 Christian Women
Following the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s denouncement of a series of attacks on Christians in Gaza by Israeli forces Dec. 16, including the killing of a mother and daughter at a Catholic parish, Pope Francis and numerous bishops across the globe also condemned the attack, calling for peace.
Pope Francis Allows Blessings of Same-Sex Couples
Pope Francis is allowing ordained ministers to bless same-sex couples as long as it isn’t confused with the sacrament of marriage, according to a new document issued by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith Dec. 18.
Latin Patriarchate Says IDF Killed Women at Gaza Parish ‘in Cold Blood’
After two women were killed and several others injured in a series of targeted attacks on a Catholic church and convent by the Israeli military in Gaza, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemned the violence, especially as Christmas draws near.
Cardinal Sentenced to 5 and a Half Years in Jail in Vatican ‘Trial of the Century’
In the long-awaited denouement of the Vatican’s “trial of the century,” which has been seen widely as a litmus test of Pope Francis’ press for reform, a Vatican tribunal Saturday sentenced Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu to five years and six months in prison for his role in various financial crimes.