U.S. lawmakers from Baltimore join call on China to free Hong Kong Catholic, democracy advocate Jimmy Lai September 20, 2024By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News A bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers gathered Sept. 18 to call for the immediate release from prison of prominent Hong Kong Catholic, philanthropist and media mogul Jimmy Lai, who is facing a trial on what they called bogus charges.
Head of Sacred Heart order appeals to Polish authorities to respect dignity of arrested priest September 12, 2024By Jonathan Luxmoore OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News As the superior general of the Sacred Heart order appealed to Polish authorities to ensure an arrested Polish priest’s “dignity” is “respected,” defenders have accused the country’s government of using Father Michal Olszewski as a political prisoner and urged the Catholic Church to speak up on his behalf.
Indigenous coalition asks Supreme Court to stop mine threatening sacred site September 12, 2024By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Racial Justice, Religious Freedom, Supreme Court, World News A coalition of Western Apache people, along with other Native American and non-Indigenous supporters, under the banner of the non-profit Apache Stronghold, asked the U.S. Supreme Court Sept. 11 to protect their sacred site at Oak Flat, Arizona, from destruction by a copper mining giant after a federal appeals court rejected their request.
German bishops call for responsible governing after ‘extreme right’ party wins local elections September 5, 2024By Karin Wollschläger OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News The results of local elections in eastern Germany’s regions of Thuringia and Saxony prompted German bishops to call for “responsible” formation of a government, even under “difficult” circumstances as the far-right party Alternative for Germany, or AfD, won over 30 percent of the vote.
Polish church defends religious teaching against new government curbs September 5, 2024By Jonathan Luxmoore OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News Poland’s Catholic bishops have urged schools to continue offering religious teaching after government attempts to restrict it were blocked by the Constitutional Tribunal following church appeals.
Catholic doctors condemn kidnapping of Nigerian Catholic medical students August 26, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Health Care, News, Religious Freedom, World News Catholic health care professionals have condemned the Aug. 15 kidnapping of 20 Catholic medical students in Nigeria.
Pope prays Mary will protect persecuted Christians in Nicaragua August 26, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News As the Catholic Church and Christians at large experience intense persecution in Nicaragua, Pope Francis expressed encouragement and support to the people living under the country’s authoritarian regime.
Pope expresses concern about religious freedom in Ukraine August 26, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News “Please, let no Christian church be abolished directly or indirectly: the churches are not to be touched,” Pope Francis said about a Ukrainian law banning the Russian Orthodox Church, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Aug. 24, Ukrainian independence day.
British pro-lifer given payout after her arrest for praying silently calls the law ‘Orwellian’ August 22, 2024By Andy Drozdziak OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Respect Life, World News A Catholic pro-life volunteer, twice arrested for praying silently outside an abortion clinic, has received from the U.K. police force who arrested her.
Nicaragua extinguishes legal status for religious orders, evangelical congregations August 20, 2024By David Agren OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News The Nicaraguan government has extinguished the legal status of more than 25 Catholic organizations, including religious orders such as the Franciscans, Carmelites and Augustinians, another diocesan Caritas chapter, and lay Catholic groups, as part of an attack on civil society with the closure of 1,500 nongovernmental organizations.
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.
Federal judge rules Maine can exclude Catholic schools from state’s school tuition grant program August 13, 2024By Kurt Jensen OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, Schools, World News Catholic schools are still excluded from Maine’s tuition grant program, a federal judge ruled Aug. 8, but he added that he expected the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit to eventually provide “a more authoritative ruling.”
