With high COVID numbers in Hong Kong, bishop says elderly need options
HONG KONG — Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-yan of Hong Kong has asked the government to provide more options for isolated elderly people at shelters and hospitals, as the COVID-19 pandemic rages in the city. “The government policies protect them with physical isolation. Still, their mental and psychological well-being has deteriorated significantly as they have been […]
Paulist Fathers celebrate 100 years of serving U.S. Catholics in Rome
ROME — U.S. Cardinal James Harvey, archpriest of Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, presided over a thanksgiving Mass to celebrate 100 years of Paulist ministry to the English-speaking community of Rome. After leading the opening prayer, the 72-year-old native of Milwaukee described his long association with the Paulists’ mission in Rome by […]
Papal pleas for peace: Even if unheeded, Pope Francis continues tradition
ROME — Pope Francis knows his appeals for an end to the war in Ukraine carry little weight with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but he also knows he has an obligation to continue speaking out and rallying others to join him in praying for peace. In April 2021 — 10 months before Putin invaded Ukraine […]
Pope Francis reportedly tells Order of Malta leaders there is ‘no urgency’ to complete reforms
Pope Francis meets with the Order of Malta’s Fra’ Marco Luzzago on June 25, 2021. / Vatican Media Vatican City, Feb 28, 2022 / 10:05 am (CNA). Pope Francis reportedly told leaders of the Order of Malta on Saturday that there is “no urgency” to make a final decision on long-awaited reforms. Marwan Sehnaoui, the […]
Pope Francis Remembers Historic Iraq Visit 1 Year Later
Courtesy photo Pope Francis meets Iraqi Church representatives on the first anniversary of his visit to Iraq, Feb. 28, 2022. The Christian population in Iraq, a country of around 40 million people, has been steadily dwindling for decades, from around 1.4 million in 2003 to about 250,000 today.
Ukrainian Catholic Leader: ‘May Dialogue and Diplomacy Conquer War’
Screenshot from Ukrainian Catholic University Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk records a video message on Feb. 28, 2022. Russian forces have sought to enter Kyiv, the seat of the Ukrainian government, since President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
‘They pray all day long’: How religious sisters are helping people in need amid the Ukraine conflict
Religious sisters in Ukraine deliver supplies from Caritas. / Private archive. Zhytomyr, Ukraine, Feb 28, 2022 / 05:40 am (CNA). For Sister Franciszka Tumanevych, the first day of the full-scale Russian invasion was the most difficult. The 42-y… […]
Pope Francis remembers historic Iraq visit 1 year later
Pope Francis meets Iraqi Church representatives on the first anniversary of his visit to Iraq, Feb. 28, 2022. / Vatican Media. Vatican City, Feb 28, 2022 / 07:20 am (CNA). In a meeting with Iraqi Christian leaders at the Vatican on Monday, Pope… […]
Ukrainian Catholic leader: ‘May dialogue and diplomacy conquer war’
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk records a video message on Feb. 28, 2022. / Screenshot from Ukrainian Catholic University YouTube channel. Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb 28, 2022 / 08:20 am (CNA). The leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church expr… […]
Vatican’s top diplomat offers mediation to end ‘war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine’
Pope Francis’s top diplomat on Monday confirmed what many suspected: The Vatican is ready to “facilitate dialogue” between Russia and Ukraine to “avoid any escalation, stop the clashes and negotiate” amidst what he called “a military attack.” “Above all, the military attack must stop immediately. We are all witnesses to its tragic consequences,” Italian Cardinal […]