Global Church News

Hanoi invites Card Parolin to visit the country 'in the near future'

Dec 28, 2018

The prime minister noted the “important progress in the process of developing relations between Vietnam and the Holy See” as well as the “positive and effective contributions of Vietnamese Catholics to the development of our country.” Citing Pope Francis, Mgr Camilleri calls on Catholics to "live the Gospel in the heart of the nation.”
Christmas becomes a statutory holiday in Iraq for Christians and Muslims

Dec 28, 2018

The cabinet has amended the national holiday law following an appeal by Patriarch Sako for whom the birth of Jesus is "for all". The Vatican Secretary of State is in Iraq where he has called on people to be “seeds of peace". The government is clamping down on fake property sales that have especially affected Christians.
Yangon, humanitarian worker: Christmas, hope and desire for a 'beautiful life'

Dec 28, 2018

The country manager of the NGO New Humanity: "It's worth living to make others happy". The redemption of young prisoners, the battle of drug addicts for their own redemption, daily encounters: "The Lord, even in the midst of a thousand difficulties, makes me see so many beautiful things".
A year in Pope Francis’s reign seen through the lens of foreign trips

Dec 27, 2018

This is part one of Inés San Martín’s look back at Pope Francis in 2018. In part two, she examines the pontiff’s efforts at Church reform over the last 12 months.
Congolese church leaders warn against further election delays

Dec 27, 2018

The new archbishop of Kinshasa warned peace will be endangered if elections -- repeatedly delayed -- are not held Dec. 30.
CRS working in Indonesia to assess needs of tsunami survivors

Dec 27, 2018

Catholic Relief Services is working with local partners to help determine the greatest needs of survivors of Indonesia’s Dec. 22 tsunami, said Yenni Suryani, country manager for the U.S. agency.
Historian argues that Church’s embrace of art saved the faith

Dec 27, 2018

As the Catholic Church struggled to recover from the tumultuous effects of the Protestant Reformation, art historian Elizabeth Lev believes that it was the Church’s embrace of art that effectively saved the faith.
Midnight Mass in Beirut

Dec 27, 2018

On the evening before Christmas, the city of Beirut was decked with lights and trees and nativity scenes.
Indian Catholic Church wishes love, peace, harmony for Christmas

Dec 26, 2018

Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), broadcast a Christmas message on All India Radio World Service on Dec. 25, pledging the continued commitment of India’s Catholic Church for a world of love and forgiveness, peace and harmony, and justice and truth.
Jesus’s message of peace on earth and goodwill ‘needed as much as ever’, Queen says

Dec 26, 2018

The Queen also stressed the importance of behaving respectfully towards people with opposing views