Faith, hope ‘work miracles,’ pope tells people of Nicaragua ahead of Immaculate Conception December 2, 2024By David Agren OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News In a moving letter, Pope Francis expressed his closeness with the people of Nicaragua as Central American bishops called for a day of prayer for the country on the feast of the Immaculate Conception amid constitutional changes that will lead into an even darker dictatorship.
Catholic priests face new pressures after nuncio departs Belarus November 25, 2024By Jonathan Luxmoore OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Vocations, World News Clergy in Belarus are deleting their social media profiles to avoid arrest, according to church sources, as local parishes face pressure under a new religious law.
Mozambique bishops set National Day of Prayer after nation hit by post-election crisis November 23, 2024By Frederick Nzwili OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News Mozambique’s bishops designated Nov. 24 as a National Day of Prayer for peace and reconciliation following the recent deaths and injuries related to the country’s election crisis.
Kenyan Catholic Church rejects President Ruto’s financial donation November 20, 2024By Frederick Nzwili OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News A disagreement between the Catholic bishops in Kenya and the government has taken a new twist, with the church rejecting a $40,000 donation from President William Ruto.
Red Wednesday to put Christian persecution in the spotlight November 16, 2024By Michael Kelly OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News This coming Nov. 20 will mark “Red Wednesday,” a commemoration held annually by Aid to the Church in Need to highlight the fact that today one in seven Christians face extreme hostility, violence and repression because of their faith in Christ. In some countries, the observance is being extended throughout the week and is called a “Red Week.”
More than 2,400 anti-Christian hate crimes occurred in Europe in 2023, report finds November 15, 2024By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, News, Religious Freedom, World News With new reports by human rights organizations in Europe, it is clear that anti-Christian discrimination is a hot-button issue on the old continent, and on the rise.
Nicaragua expels bishops’ conference’s president November 14, 2024By David Agren OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News The ruling Sandinista regime expelled the president of the Nicaraguan bishops’ conference, further decimating the country’s Catholic leadership as clergy are forced into exile.
Federal judge blocks Louisiana law requiring public schools to post Ten Commandments November 13, 2024By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News Louisiana’s law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments is unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled Nov. 12.
Pope praises courageous, resilient faith of Catholics persecuted in past November 4, 2024By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News The “small yet vibrant church” in Estonia has been a source of compassion and spiritual sustenance for countless people in the Baltic nation, Pope Francis said.
Christians seek a public holiday on Easter Sunday in Bangladesh November 3, 2024By Stephan Uttom Rozario OSV News Filed Under: Easter, News, Religious Freedom, World News Amid signs of changes and more religious inclusivity in the country, church leaders in Bangladesh called for Easter Sunday to be a public holiday.
Red hat is ‘call to martyrdom’ for Philippine bishop outspoken on country’s war on drugs November 3, 2024By Simone Orendain OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News Bishop Pablo Virgilio Siongco David of Kalookan, Philippines, one of the 21 cardinal-designates to be elevated at the Dec. 7 consistory at the Vatican, was thrust into the spotlight and singled out by his country’s president in 2018 at the height of a bloody government anti-drug war there.
As Poles remember murdered priest, Catholic researchers’ work on communism’s martyrs continues November 1, 2024By Jonathan Luxmoore OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, Saints, World News In late October, while thousands gathered across the Polish capital to commemorate the 1984 kidnapping and brutal murder of Solidarity chaplain Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko, patient work continued at the Jesuit order’s archive in Warsaw to document the fate of other communist-era victims.
