Vatican News
Pope tells Christians to be witnesses of peace
Pope Francis encourages participants at the Mission Festival in Milan to be witnesses of peace and to cultivate a missionary spirit, saying that mission is the heart of the life of the Church.
Nobel Prize laureate Bishop Ximenes Belo accused of abuse
A Dutch newspaper has published anonymous allegations of sexual abuse of minors in the 90s by East Timorese Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo. The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, says the Vatican imposed restrictions on the bishop in 2020, including prohibiting contact with minors – restrictions that were reinforced in 2021.
Vatican Radio: 30 years of the KiSwahili Language Service; Fr Richard Mjigwa receives papal award.
Among some of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Communications staff awarded with papal honours for services to the Church’s communication ministry is Fr Richard Mjigwa.
New structure for Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development undergoes an organizational restructuring in line with Pope Francis’ new Apostolic Constitution “Praedicate Evangelium.”
Murders of environmental and land activists on the rise globally
Global Witness' annual report reveals that some 200 environmental and land defense activists were killed around the world in 2021, a big percentage of them in Mexico.
US Assistant Secretary Noyes: global collaboration is needed to help migrants, refugees
US Assistant Secretary Julieta Valls Noyes, Bureau of Population, Refugees, And Migration says both governments and religious organizations must come together to respond to the growing needs of migrants and refugees uprooted by war and conflict.
Farrell: Sport can promote togetherness, culture of encounter
The prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, opens the International Summit for the presentation of the Declaration of Sport, and says sport can contribute to the integral good of the human person.
Cardinal Czerny: environmental crisis must be addressed at grassroot level
The Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development sends a video message to participants in the Second Latin American International Congress on Climate Change and Biodiversity in Buenos Aires, Argentina, focused on local governments’ climate action in the region.
Vatican announces theme for 57th World Day of Social Communications
The Holy See Press Office announces “Speak with the heart: Veritatem facientes in caritate” as the theme for the 57th World Communications Day.
Pope: Educational institutions are to be places of welcome, integration for all
Pope Francis urges participants at the Gregorian University conference on Initiatives in Refugee and Migrant Education to do more in research, teaching and social promotion of migrants and refugees, and to make all educational institutions places of welcome, protection, promotion and integration for all, to the exclusion of none.
Open Doors founder Brother Andrew dies aged 94
Anne van der Bijl, who died on Tuesday at age 94, was the founder of the Open Doors Foundation, which supported persecuted Christians throughout the world.
Synod: An exercise in hope
As the Synod on Synodality enters a new phase, we bring you the fourth in a series of videos to explore how the continental phase is being prepared, following the completion of documents from the diocesan and national levels.
Pope to Jesuits in Kazakhstan: ‘Our hearts must be freed from hatred’
The Jesuit review “La Civiltà Cattolica” releases Pope Francis’ conversation with Jesuits in the “Russian Region” while on his Apostolic Journey to Kazakhstan, in which the Pope reflected on the causes of what he calls the third world war.
Fr. Lougen: Oblates must leave ‘nothing undared’ to serve Christ’s Kingdom
As the Oblates of Mary Immaculate hold their General Chapter, Fr. Louis Lougen, the outgoing OMI Superior General, praises the work of Oblates across the globe and says his successor needs to be a man of hope and prayer to face the difficulties of the mission.
NI Bishops raise their voices over social cost of current economic crisis
As food and energy prices continue to soar in Britain and elsewhere, , the Bishops of Northern Ireland call for an urgent combined effort from all those in politics, Church, and society to help address the crisis , saying that for the poorest “this is an emergency”. They warn that benefiting the richest with tax cuts brings little comfort to those hardest hit and most at risk in these trying times.
Caritas Algeria ends its activities in Algeria.
At the behest of the Algerian Government, the Catholic Church has announced with regret the closure of all charitable activities and facilities of Caritas Algeria from 1 October 2022.
Vatican to host international meeting on "Sport for All"
At a press conference in the Vatican on Wednesday, organizers present the International Summit "Sport for All: Cohesive, Accessible and Tailored to each Person" to be held at the New Synod Hall on Friday and Saturday, bringing together people from around the world to underscore the importance of sports for human, educational and spiritual growth.
Pope to travel to Bahrain in November
The Holy See Press Office announces that Pope Francis will undertake an Apostolic Journey to Bahrain at the beginning of November.
Latvia: Bethlehem House at the service of the poor and needy
The Bethlehem House of the “Nova Vita” Foundation, located in Riga, is a center where the Church, through Caritas Latvia, supports those in need of help, along with the assistance of the German relief foundation, Bonifatiuswerk.
Cardinal Roche pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth at Mass of Remembrance
English Cardinal Arthur Roche pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at a Mass of Remembrance celebrated in Rome, recalling the "hidden gem" of what inspired and directed her life: her faith based upon the truths and values found in the life of Christ.
