Pope encourages European parliamentarians to pursue ‘healthy secularism’ September 29, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV encouraged members of the European Parliament to pursue “a healthy secularism” that maintains the distinction between religions and governments.
Hostile legislative climate over confessional seal nothing new, says priest-canon lawyer September 27, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News, Worship & Sacraments If it seems like batches of states are suddenly legislating mandatory clergy reporting laws — legal decrees that require clergy to report child abuse or neglect revealed in the confessional — Father John Paul Kimes, a canon lawyer, has some current and historical context to offer.
Bishop Zaidan highlights ‘solidarity’ with African faithful amid conflict, crises September 25, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Bishops, News, Religious Freedom, World News As conflicts rage in several African nations, a U.S. Catholic bishop has underscored his support for African bishops and faithful.
Nigerian priest killed; killings, kidnappings prompt fear of genocide of Christians September 22, 2025By Ngala Killian Chimton OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News The church in Nigeria, ravaged by kidnappings of clergy, mourns Father Mathew Eya, killed Sept. 19 as he was returning to his parish of St. Charles in Eha-Ndiagu, in Enugu state.
French Christians shocked by murder of Chaldean Catholic influencer from Iraq September 18, 2025By Caroline de Sury OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News French Christians are reeling after the brutal murder of Ashur Sarnaya, a 45-year-old disabled Iraqi Chaldean Catholic, stabbed in the throat outside his Lyon apartment.
Jailed Catholic priests ‘used as hostages’ in Belarus September 18, 2025By Jonathan Luxmoore OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News Human rights campaigners have accused the Belarus government of using imprisoned Catholic priests as “hostages,” as a Polish Carmelite became the latest detained for alleged espionage.
Over 60 people killed in Ntoyo, Congo, by Islamic State group supporters September 18, 2025By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News The pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need expressed its “deep concern and solidarity” with the families of the victims of a brutal attack carried out on the night of Sept. 8-9 in Ntoyo in the area of St. Joseph of Manguredjipa Catholic Parish, which is in the Congolese province of North Kivu.
Catholic leaders acknowledge tension between Trump immigration policy and religious liberty September 16, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Immigration and Migration, News, Religious Freedom, World News The same week President Donald Trump spoke at a hearing of the Department of Justice’s Religious Liberty Commission in Washington, a key Catholic bishop said some of his immigration policies risk presenting the church with religious liberty challenges.
England’s house afire amid the limitations on free speech September 14, 2025By Elizabeth Scalia OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Religious Freedom Stopping difficult, controversial or “hateful” words before they are uttered may leave some feelings unhurt, but the price of insult-free living will be the destruction of authentic engagement between people. It will mean more social distrust, loneliness and isolation which are already an epidemic.
New report explores link between religious freedom violations and mass atrocities September 12, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News Religious freedom violations are an early warning sign of where mass atrocities could occur around the globe, a new report from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said.
White House launches prayer campaign as part of nation’s 250th anniversary celebration September 9, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News The White House has launched an initiative calling for prayers for the nation as part of the celebration of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
Department of Education to issue guidance on protecting prayer in public schools, Trump says September 8, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Schools, World News The Department of Education will issue new guidance “protecting the right to prayer” in public schools, President Donald Trump said Sept. 8 during remarks at the Museum of the Bible for the Department of Justice’s Religious Liberty Commission.
