Polish church defends religious teaching against new government curbs September 5, 2024By Jonathan Luxmoore OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News Poland’s Catholic bishops have urged schools to continue offering religious teaching after government attempts to restrict it were blocked by the Constitutional Tribunal following church appeals.
Catholic doctors condemn kidnapping of Nigerian Catholic medical students August 26, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Health Care, News, Religious Freedom, World News Catholic health care professionals have condemned the Aug. 15 kidnapping of 20 Catholic medical students in Nigeria.
Pope prays Mary will protect persecuted Christians in Nicaragua August 26, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News As the Catholic Church and Christians at large experience intense persecution in Nicaragua, Pope Francis expressed encouragement and support to the people living under the country’s authoritarian regime.
Pope expresses concern about religious freedom in Ukraine August 26, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News “Please, let no Christian church be abolished directly or indirectly: the churches are not to be touched,” Pope Francis said about a Ukrainian law banning the Russian Orthodox Church, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Aug. 24, Ukrainian independence day.
British pro-lifer given payout after her arrest for praying silently calls the law ‘Orwellian’ August 22, 2024By Andy Drozdziak OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Respect Life, World News A Catholic pro-life volunteer, twice arrested for praying silently outside an abortion clinic, has received from the U.K. police force who arrested her.
Nicaragua extinguishes legal status for religious orders, evangelical congregations August 20, 2024By David Agren OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News The Nicaraguan government has extinguished the legal status of more than 25 Catholic organizations, including religious orders such as the Franciscans, Carmelites and Augustinians, another diocesan Caritas chapter, and lay Catholic groups, as part of an attack on civil society with the closure of 1,500 nongovernmental organizations.
Christian convert imprisoned in Egypt declares hunger strike; advocates urge his release August 20, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News A Christian convert in Egypt who has been imprisoned for more than two years for publicly speaking about his conversion has declared a hunger strike, prompting religious freedom advocates to increase their calls for his release.
Federal judge rules Maine can exclude Catholic schools from state’s school tuition grant program August 13, 2024By Kurt Jensen OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, Schools, World News Catholic schools are still excluded from Maine’s tuition grant program, a federal judge ruled Aug. 8, but he added that he expected the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit to eventually provide “a more authoritative ruling.”
300 religious leaders call on State Department to address religious persecution in India August 10, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News A Catholic bishop in Chicago from an Eastern church whose origins go back to St. Thomas the Apostle has joined some 300 faith leaders in sounding an alarm over religious persecution in India.
Iraq marks 10th anniversary of ‘collective’ tragedy under Islamic State group’s terror August 9, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News As Iraq marked 10th anniversary of Islamic State group-induced terror recognized by the United Nations as genocide, and subsequent tragic Christian exodus, a top Iraq cardinal said that evil will not last and Christians called for more support for Iraq’s ancient Yezidi community still struggling for restitution and justice.
Seven exiled Nicaraguan priests arrive in Rome as Ortega regime continues to target church August 9, 2024By David Agren OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News The Vatican confirmed Aug. 9 that seven priests expelled from Nicaragua arrived in Rome Aug. 8. They had been detained in an assault on a diocese headed by an outspoken bishop as the Ortega regime continued debilitating the Catholic Church and forcing its critics into exile.
Chinese Catholics gather in Chicago to discuss the church’s challenges in China today August 7, 2024By Simone Orendain OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News An Aug. 2-4 conference in Chicago on the life of the Catholic Church in China covered both the difficulties and strengths of being a church under a heavily regulatory communist government.
