Global Church News
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French bishops’ conference to hear testimonies from children of priests
May 21, 2019
French bishops will meet with the children of priests in June to hear their testimonies of hidden suffering.
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South Sudan president: I was ‘almost trembling’ as Pope Francis begged me to make peace
May 21, 2019
In an unprecedented gesture last month, Pope Francis kissed the feet of several South Sudanese leaders, who were visiting the Vatican for a retreat, in a plea for peace in the country.
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Bangladesh Church and laity to work together for child protection
May 21, 2019
The country has no specific child protection laws. Activists and Church leaders met to develop a policy that could serve as a model for Christian organisations as well as wider society. NGO World Vision reports that 82 per cent of all children in the country are abused. For a nun, the lack of proper food and leisure time are “a form of violence".
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Pope Francis trip aims to thaw Catholic-Orthodox relations in Romania
May 21, 2019
When Pope Francis lands in Romania in late May, the local church hopes that he will be able to encourage a “spiritual wind” from the East into Europe and rebuild the chilled relations between the Catholic and Orthodox communities in the country.
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Catholic priest slain by criminal gang in El Salvador
May 20, 2019
Father Cecilio Perez Cruz had reportedly refused to pay ‘protection fees’ to a well-known criminal gang. The Government has announced new measures to fight criminality.
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Tens of thousands of Lebanese bid a final farewell to Patriarch Sfeir
May 20, 2019
Lebanese and foreign dignitaries as well as ordinary people paid tribute to the cardinal. The incumbent Patriarch al-Rahi described his predecessor as an "unshakable rock" and a "man of reconciliation". For Card Sandri, he “performed his mission in turbulent circumstances". Émile Lahoud, who was president during the Syria “era”, and Hezbollah were among the few no-shows.
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Catholic business people discuss faith and 'changes' in the modern era
May 20, 2019
Hundreds of Catholics participated in the 2019 Fruitful Business conference, centred on ‘Searching for the wisdom of God in a disruptive era’. The conference saw 22 leading Catholic figures share their experience as professionals and believers with participants.
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Wisdom, gratitude, healing, fellowship: A military family’s journey to Lourdes
May 20, 2019
Every pilgrim to Lourdes has their own motivations and reasons for making the journey. For the Mayors, the International Military Pilgrimage came with
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Every year some six million tonnes of food are discarded in Japan
May 20, 2019
Ready-to-eat food stores, supermarkets, restaurants, and households are called upon to revise their lifestyle, consumption habits, sale practices and preparation methods. Households throw away 2.91 million tonnes of food each year.
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Jakarta’s message of harmony
May 18, 2019
The Jakarta Archdiocese celebrated its 212th anniversary with an interfaith walk attended by more than three thousand Catholics, as well as adherents of other faiths.
Sunday Reflection
Sixth Sunday of Easter: Three Cultures
Today’s first reading presents the solution to the great internal struggle of the Primitive or Earliest Church. Externally, it was the question of whether or not gentile Christians had to practise Jewish customs.
