Lenten campaign focuses on persecuted Christians; priest’s murder makes message more urgent March 5, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Lent, News, Religious Freedom, World News Aid to the Church in Need’s call to the faithful to reflect this Lenten season on the persecution of Christians has taken on more urgency with the news that a Nigerian priest was found murdered on Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent.
As U.S. pauses military aid, EU bishops call for unity in supporting Ukraine March 4, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Uncategorized, War in Ukraine, World News Following the announcement that U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a “pause” on U.S. assistance to Ukraine, Catholic bishops in the European Union called for unity on the continent.
Catholics worldwide unite in prayer for pope’s health February 20, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News As Pope Francis continues to recover at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, Catholics in the pope’s Diocese of Rome and around the world joined in prayer for his health.
Thousands in Myanmar village gather at funeral to mourn slain priest February 18, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Uncategorized, World News Thousands of people gathered Feb. 16 in the small village of Pyin Oo Lwin in Myanmar to pay their final respects to Father Donald Martin Ye Naing Win, a priest who was found stabbed to death in a targeted attack.
Tuscan bishop laments passage of right-to-die law in Italy, calls it a ‘defeat for everyone’ February 15, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, World News The head of the Tuscan Bishops’ Conference said the passage of a new law in Italy allowing medically assisted suicide was “not an achievement, but a defeat for everyone.”
‘Martyr of the Amazon’: Recalling Sister Dorothy Stang’s ministry 20 years after her murder February 12, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Environment, News, Religious Freedom, World News In the lead up to the 20th anniversary of the death of Sister Stang, who is considered by many as a “Martyr of the Amazon,” a relic containing blood-soaked soil from the site of her murder was enshrined at the Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Tiber Island in Rome on Jan. 10.
Pope Francis, Sweden’s cardinal mourn victims of deadly mass shooting February 5, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Gun Violence, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis said he was “deeply saddened” by the tragic shooting in a Swedish school, sending “assurance of his spiritual closeness to all affected by this traumatic incident,” in which 10 students of an adult education center lost their lives.
All Sodalitium-linked movements are ended, Vatican envoy confirms in Peru February 4, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News An official of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith said Pope Francis’ decision to suppress Sodalitium Christianae Vitae was based on the fact that there was no authentic charism, or spiritual gifts, in the controversial lay movement founded by Luis Fernando Figari in 1971.
Sodalitium confirms its suppression after news of it leaks with no Vatican confirmation January 21, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News The controversial lay movement Sodalitium Christianae Vitae was forced to confirm news that it was suppressed by Pope Francis after two of its members leaked the news to a Catholic news outlet.
Holy Land church leaders welcome ceasefire with relief, urge delivering critical aid January 16, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News As news spread of a long-awaited ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, reactions from religious leaders in the region expressed hopes for peace in the Holy Land, concern for the safety of hostages as well as the people of the Gaza Strip for the past 15 months.
Christian persecution on the rise worldwide, new report says January 15, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News A new report by Open Doors International said that more than 380 million Christians faced persecution and discrimination in 2024, an increase of 15 million from the year before.
As last major hospital lies in ruins, people of Gaza dying ‘slow death,’ Caritas rep says January 9, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News With northern Gaza Strip’s last major hospital lying in ruins following a raid by Israeli forces, the director of Caritas Jerusalem said that with limited medical resources and basic supplies, Palestinians in the ravaged territory are running out of time.
