Vatican News
CELAM welcomes new President and Vice Presidents
The 39th Ordinary General Assembly of the Latin American Episcopal Conference (CELAM), underway in Puerto Rico from 16 - 19 May 2023, elects Archbishop Jaime Spengler as their new president, and Archbishops José Luis Azuaje and José Domingo Ulloa as vice-presidents.
UN: Over half of Sudan’s population requires humanitarian aid
Humanitarian agencies are calling for parties involved in the conflict to respect international humanitarian law as the crisis in Sudan continues.
Pope expresses 'heartfelt sympathy' after deadly Italian floods
Pope Francis expresses his heartfelt sympathy for the people killed, and thousands forced to evacuate their homes, as exceptional, torrential rains battered northern Italy, causing massive damage.
Filipino priest pressures banks to stop fossil fuel financing
A Filipino priest is traveling across Europe to talk to top banks, demanding they cut ties with polluting industries in his home country.
Cardinal Parolin: Europe cannot accept continued war of aggression in Ukraine
Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin calls for the Council of Europe to take action and establish “a definitive and just peace in Ukraine”.
Sudan: Civilians of Dafur bearing the brunt of war.
While the fighting continues to intensify in Khartoum, the province of Darfur is the most seriously affected in terms of human casualties. This is according to the Church news service, Agenzia Fides.
WCC: Churches have major role to play to end the war in Ukraine
As a delegation of the World Council of Churches concludes a four-day visit to Ukraine to explore possibilities of joint Church efforts to achieve a just peace for the Ukrainian people, Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Moderator of the WCC Central Committee, says hopes are high that Churches can make a difference to end the war.
Canonical Coronation of Our Lady of the Abandoned Muntinlupa in the Philippines
Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish has celebrated its 160th anniversary by crowning the shrine’s image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and highlighting the parish’s connection with the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.
India: New Marian shrine opens in former refuge
Indian Christians celebrate the opening of a new shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima in the Diocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar – a site where many took refuge during a flare-up of anti-Christian violence in 2008.
Manipur Archbishop: 'Fear, uncertainty' following ethnic clashes in Indian state
A fortnight after violence first broke out in the Indian state of Manipur, Archbishop Dominic Lumon of Imphal appeals for aid for those affected, lamenting the loss of life due to mob violence.
Major drought looms as heat wave scorches Southeast Asia
Several cities across Southeast Asia are experiencing unusually high temperatures, with some areas recording all-time highs as heat waves hit the region.
Pope at Audience: Love of Christ drove St. Francis Xavier to furthest frontiers
Praising 'the greatest missionary of modern times,' St. Francis Xavier, as embodying apostolic zeal at his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis said the love of Christ drove him to the farthest parts of the world to spread the Gospel.
Pope: Change relationship with Earth's limited resources
Pope Francis pens preface to Italian book by Gaël Giraud and Carlo Petrini entitled 'The taste to change. The ecological transition as the path to happiness' (Slow Food Editore and Libreria Editrice Vaticana) in bookshops on Wednesday.
Caritas Internationalis Secretary General: ‘Caritas is my home, my family, my vocation'
Alistair Dutton, the newly elected Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis, talks about his vision for the Confederation.
Ukraine’s capital hit by ‘exceptional’ Russian air strikes
Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has been targeted by massive Russian air strikes that authorities described as “exceptional in density.” The strikes were part of broader attacks that officials said killed at least six civilians over the past 24 hours.
Fighting intensifies in Khartoum
Fighting intensifies in Sudan’s capital, as the army seeks to defend key bases from paramilitary rivals it has been fighting for more than a month.
Amnesty International: 53% rise of executions in past year
A new Amnesty International report depicts the rise in executions, in countries in which facts are shared, from 2021 to 2022.
Church leaders in Holy Land reiterate appeal for just peace
In a statement commemorating the Palestinian al-Nakba, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem reiterate their call to strive for a permanent and just peace in the Holy Land based on international legitimacy, and for the respect of holy sites.
Philippines: ‘Fight not over’ against reclamation projects
Several environmental groups in the Philippines welcome the moratorium on new applications for reclamation projects but continue to campaign for the stoppage of all reclamation projects in the country.
Alistair Dutton elected new Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis
Caritas Internationalis elects its new Secretary General, Alistair Dutton, who has been working in the organisation since 1996 and has over 25 years of experience in the humanitarian field.
