British Museum exhibit on St. Thomas Becket gives sympathetic look at past August 20, 2021By Jonathan Luxmoore Catholic News Service Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Feature, News, Saints, World News In a gallery of The British Museum, light plays on an array of medieval crosses, reliquaries and manuscripts, as an audiovisual display reenacts one of English history’s most notorious crimes.
Bishops say Spain trying to ‘dismantle the Christian worldview’ July 30, 2021By Jonathan Luxmoore Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News Spain’s Catholic bishops warned of growing division and tension in their country over government attempts to “deconstruct and dismantle the Christian worldview.”
Polish nuns killed by Soviet army as World War II ended showed courage July 21, 2021By Jonathan Luxmoore Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, Vatican, World News Ten Polish nuns have been approved for beatification as martyrs 76 years after they were killed while resisting rape and facing other atrocities by Soviet soldiers in the final months of World War II.
Theologian: Polish cardinal’s beatification reminder of tests of communism April 28, 2021By Jonathan Luxmoore Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, World News Polish Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, scheduled to be beatified Sept. 12, was ready to seek agreements in a Christian spirit, but also firmly believed “certain boundaries could not be crossed,” said a leading theologian and political scientist.
Polish cardinal could face jail time for failing to report abuse March 16, 2021By Jonathan Luxmoore Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, World News A Polish cardinal, former secretary to St. John Paul II, could face jail time after a Polish state commission accused him of ignoring sexual abuse by Catholic clergy.
Spanish lawyers act to prevent removal of crosses by local officials February 15, 2021By Jonathan Luxmoore Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, World News A group of Spanish lawyers has launched petitions and lawsuits to prevent the removal of crosses by local officials, after claims that Christian symbols are linked with the country’s former dictatorship.
Russian Catholic urges nation’s bishops to speak out on massive arrests February 4, 2021By Jonathan Luxmoore Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, World News A prominent Russian Catholic urged his nation’s bishops to condemn the mass arrest and beating of protesters, but the Moscow archdiocesan chancellor said the church could not comment on “political matters.”
EU Catholic leaders urge tougher policies to protect Arctic November 19, 2020By Jonathan Luxmoore Catholic News Service Filed Under: Environment, Feature, News, World News Two European Catholic commissions warned that Arctic warming is intensifying competition over the region’s resources and urged tougher policies to protect its biodiversity and Indigenous communities.
Polish bishops decry disruption of Masses over court’s abortion ruling October 26, 2020By Jonathan Luxmoore Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News Poland’s bishops’ conference decried attacks on churches by demonstrators protesting a near-total ban on abortions by the country’s Constitutional Court and urged restraint from violence and dialogue.
Turkish bishops won’t contest plan to turn ancient cathedral into a mosque June 19, 2020By Jonathan Luxmoore Filed Under: News, World News Catholic bishops in Turkey pledged not to contest plans to turn Istanbul’s ancient Hagia Sophia cathedral that now serves as a museum into a Muslim place of worship.
Across Europe, shrines close, following directives for fighting COVID-19 March 19, 2020By Jonathan Luxmoore Filed Under: Coronavirus, Feature, News, World News Europe’s Catholic shrines have followed directives for combating the coronavirus by tightly restricting organized events, although some pledged to stay open for Masses and pastoral care.
As Dutch parishes close, some Catholics just quit going to church January 24, 2020By Jonathan Luxmoore Filed Under: News, World News A Dutch Catholic newspaper warned churches will continue to close in the Netherlands, where half of all Catholic parishes have already been dissolved amid plummeting church participation.