Posts By Date - Catholic Herald

July 01, 2019

Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi has described Jared Kushner’s Middle East peace plan as “the slap of the century”. Armed gangs are “sowing death and desolation” in the eastern Congo, the country’s bishops have said. Belgium’s bishops have issued guidelines on pastoral care before euthanasia. A French civil court has for the first time forbidden a

Seminarian ‘sacrificed himself’ to save kids in bus crash

July 01, 2019

After a bus crashed on its way back to New Mexico from a Catholic youth conference in Denver, reports have emerged that the seminarian on board, Jason Marshall, may have given his life to save the kids on board the bus. According to witnesses and the family of Marshall, the 53 year-old tried to regain

Priests must defend Seal of Confession ‘even to the point of shedding blood’, Vatican says

July 01, 2019

In the light of “a worrying negative prejudice” against the Catholic Church, Pope Francis ordered the publication of a document affirming the absolute secrecy of everything said in confession and calling on priests to defend it at all costs, even at the cost of their lives. The need for the absolute secrecy of confession “comes

Spain complains over nuncio’s Franco comments

July 01, 2019

The Spanish government is making a formal complaint to the Vatican over what they term “interference in state affairs” regarding the exhumation of Francisco Franco’s remains. Franco was buried in the basilica of the Valley of the Fallen, built during the dictatorship to honour the dead in Spain’s bloody civil war. In 2018 the Spanish

As Trump and Kim meet in North Korea, Pope Francis prays for peace

July 01, 2019

Pope Francis has prayed for peace and the successful outcome of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the DMZ. “In the last few hours we have witnessed a good example of the culture of encounter in Korea,” Pope Francis said June 30 at the end of

Saints Peter and Paul witness to the power of God’s forgiveness, Pope says

July 01, 2019

Pope Francis said Saturday that Saints Peter and Paul are both witnesses to the transformative power of God’s forgiveness through which all Christians can experience a new beginning of peace and joy. “Only when we experience God’s forgiveness do we truly experience rebirth. From there we start over, from forgiveness; there we rediscover who we

Newman to be canonised on October 13

July 01, 2019

Blessed John Henry Newman will be canonised on Sunday, October 13, the Vatican has announced. At a Consistory of cardinals on Monday, Pope Francis formally approved Newman’s canonisation along with that of Sister Mariam Thresia of India, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family, and three others. In February, the Pope