Hanover, Germany — Lutheran and Catholic churches in Switzerland and Germany are planning for people to celebrate religious Christmas services at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Germany, Matthias Kopp, spokesman for the Catholic bishops’ conference, said Catholic and Lutheran churches will publish a mini brochure that will be available to download. The German

A retired Polish cardinal disciplined by the Vatican in early November has been hospitalized and remains unconscious, Polish media reported Nov. 10. Cardinal Henryk Gulbinowicz, the 97-year-old retired archbishop of Wroclaw, was banned from all public appearances and ordered to compensate his alleged victims, after being investigated for sexual abuse, the Vatican nunciature in Warsaw

Pope Francis blessed a statue of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal as it was to begin a pilgrimage throughout Italy to mark the 190th anniversary of Mary’s apparitions to St. Catherine Laboure. It was during the second apparition, in November 1830, that St. Catherine said Mary told her to make medals of the image

Asia’s cardinal-designate from Brunei said the church in his country is “the periphery within the periphery.” Cardinal-designate Cornelius Sim of Brunei told ucanews.com he found it “very significant” that Pope Francis is appointing people from remote areas. “I believe that the institutional church in many large countries, to be honest, is not giving a good

Washington, D.C. — Catholic leaders in northern El Salvador are speaking against the effects of increased government military presence along the country’s northern border with Honduras because of how it is affecting the free movement and livelihood of rural communities. Soldiers along El Salvador’s region of Chalatenango, which borders Honduras, have been there since the

A former priest who had been an early spiritual adviser to the alleged visionaries of Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, has been excommunicated, according to an announcement by the Diocese of Brescia, Italy, where he lives. “The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith formally communicated to the bishop of Brescia that on July 15, 2020, the congregation

Both are Catholic, but their views couldn’t have been more different. One woman said she was voting for a particular candidate because of her beliefs against abortion. The other said she was voting for his opponent because the incumbent had harmed life for many in a variety of ways and it went against her religious

"We cannot allow a small unelected group of lawbreakers to decide what sacred symbols we Catholics or other believers may display," the archbishop said

French bishops have urged Catholics to join mass protests against a bill to liberalise abortion and embryo research

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn has called new restrictions on houses of worship "outrageous," "unfair," "disrespectful" and an attack on religious freedom.

"This movement is not over. Our work and victories have just begun."

"San Francisco’s treatment of places of worship raises serious concerns about religious freedom," Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband said