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.
World Humanitarian Day highlights tragic record sacrifice of aid workers in war zones August 19, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Disaster Relief, Feature, News, War in Ukraine, World News As the world commemorates World Humanitarian Day 2024, the latest figures on the dire circumstances aid workers face on the frontline highlight the alarming increase in attacks against them and their work to relieve the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire.
St. Maximilian Kolbe: ‘Patron of our difficult century’ August 14, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, World News In his homily during St. Maximilian Kolbe’s canonization Mass Oct. 10, 1982, St. John Paul II said the Polish Franciscan was granted the grace of carrying out “in an absolutely literal manner” the words of Christ: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Italian court rules bishop ‘facilitated’ abuse by protecting accused priest July 31, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, World News The bishop of a southern Italian diocese deliberately avoided protecting victims in his diocese and instead sought to protect a priest long accused of having abused several minors as a seminarian, a court in the southern Italian city of Enna ruled.
Álvaro’s Way: One teen’s pilgrimage becomes an inspiration for many July 7, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: News, social media, World News That first pilgrimage started the ball rolling on social media, with thousands more following his account, “El Camino de Alvaro” (“Alvaro’s Way”) on X (formerly Twitter).
Swedish cardinal urges Catholics to make voices heard on abortion issue June 12, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, World News Sweden’s Cardinal Anders Arborelius of Stockholm called on the country’s Catholics to engage others in meaningful ways to protect the lives of the unborn.
After Israeli hostage rescue, pope renews call for cease-fire, humanitarian aid in Gaza June 10, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis once again renewed his call for a cease-fire in Gaza following the rescue of four hostages that led to what officials in Gaza said was the killing of more than 270 Palestinians in an Israeli rescue operation that one European Union diplomat deemed a “massacre.”
Caritas Australia mobilizes efforts to aid landslide victims in Papua New Guinea May 28, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Disaster Relief, News, World News Caritas Australia mobilized relief efforts to aid victims of a horrific landslide that devastated remote communities in Papua New Guinea.
Access to aid in Gaza should not be a ‘bargaining chip,’ Caritas says as people face ‘full-blown famine’ May 8, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Israel’s escalation in Rafah is only worsening the humanitarian situation for countless men, women and children caught in the crossfire, said Ireneusz Krause, deputy director for Caritas Poland.
Pope ‘deeply saddened’ after powerful 7.4 magnitude quake strikes Taiwan April 4, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Disaster Relief, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis expressed his condolences to the people of Taiwan after a powerful earthquake struck the island nation’s eastern shore.
Aid workers in Gaza, including at least one Catholic, killed by Israeli strike April 2, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News World Central Kitchen, a humanitarian organization that delivers food in war-torn countries, expressed outrage after seven of its workers were killed in an Israeli missile strike in Gaza.
Monte Cassino Abbey: Tragic anniversary offers lesson to world at war February 15, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News On Feb. 15, 1944, over 100 heavy and medium bombers dropped more than 1,000 tons of explosives, turning the centuries-old monastery, which was founded by St. Benedict of Nursia in 529, into a fiery pile of rubble.
