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Catholic Church

Pope Francis recognizes miracle attributed to WWII martyr Bl. Titus Brandsma’s intercession

November 25, 2021

Pope Francis has recognized a miracle attributed to Titus Brandsma, an outspoken opponent of Nazism martyred at Dachau concentration camp in 1942. The pope authorized Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints, to issue a decree on Nov. 25 approving the miracle. The decision paves the way for the Dutch Carmelite

Ethics committee authorizes first assisted suicide in Italy

November 25, 2021

The Catholic Church in Italy said that life must be “protected and defended” after local health authorities in Italy gave the green light to the country’s first legally obtained assisted suicide. The ethics committee of the health service of the Italian city of Ancona ruled on Nov. 23 that a 43-year-old Italian man met the

Catholic priest guillotined by Nazis is beatified in Poland

November 22, 2021

A Catholic priest guillotined by the Nazis in 1942 was declared blessed on Saturday. Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, presided at the beatification of Fr. Jan Macha at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Katowice, southwest Poland, on Nov. 20. Preaching at the live-streamed Mass, the Italian cardinal said: “The witness

Is Pope Francis’ pragmatic approach creating a crisis for canon law?

November 19, 2021

In the eight years since his election, Pope Francis has been an active lawmaker. Beyond his well-publicized reforms, there have been many other significant but hidden legislative changes. When making these alterations, Pope Francis has mostly acted alone. The Vatican departments that normally oversee and harmonize new legislation with existing laws have been marginalized. This

Religious freedom advocates ‘appalled’ as State Department removes Nigeria from watch list

November 19, 2021

After the U.S. State Department released its list of countries with the most egregious religious freedom violations this week, human rights advocates expressed shock that Nigeria was removed from this year’s list. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a statement on Nov. 17 saying that it was “appalled” at the State Department’s “unexplainable” decision

Nearly 1,000 hate crimes against Europe’s Christians recorded in 2020

November 17, 2021

According to newly published data from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the number of hate crimes against Christians in Europe rose sharply in 2020. The OSCE data, published Nov. 16, documented 980 incidents against Christians, including arson attacks on Catholic churches, desecration and robbery of Eucharistic hosts, assaults on priests, and anti-Catholic graffiti

Croatian president raises plight of Bosnian Catholics during Vatican visit

November 16, 2021

Croatia’s President Zoran Milanović highlighted the situation of the Catholic minority in Bosnia and Herzegovina during a visit to the Vatican on Monday. The Holy See press office said on Nov. 15 that after meeting with Pope Francis, Milanović held discussions with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and “foreign minister” Archbishop Paul Gallagher. “During the

Cardinal Becciu says he ‘favoured’ home diocese but denies scandal

November 16, 2021

Speaking at an event for a diocesan charity to which he is alleged to have illicitly given Vatican funds, Cardinal Angelo Becciu said on Sunday that he had “favoured” his diocese but questioned why it was considered “scandalous.” According to the local newspaper La Nuova Sardegna, during a Nov. 14 conference unveiling a new charitable initiative,