World News
Sweden’s pandemic reality check a ‘time of conversion,’ cardinal says
At the start of the pandemic, while countries enforced lockdowns and social distancing, the Swedish government took a more relaxed approach. Now with a high death rate, leaders realize they did not "do what we were supposed to do."
Central African Republic bishops warn of food shortages, insecurity
As rebels have seized two-thirds of the country, the conflict risked "turning into a nationwide hunt for innocent people, based solely on their ethnicity or political affiliation."
Canadian provinces close churches to contain pandemic
As they did last spring, churches and all places of worship again will close or enact restrictions imposed by four Canadian provinces in an effort to stop a new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 claims lives of over 200 priests in Italy since start of pandemic
Already four priests have died since the start of 2021, and the toll amounted to one death every day and a half since the pandemic began, a newspaper reported Jan. 6. Many were in active ministry.
Assault on U.S. Capitol shocks the world
Religious leaders around the world said the attack was driven by "divisive populist politics (that) have unleashed forces that threaten the foundations of democracy" and "are of serious international concern."
In British lockdown, English churches open, Scottish churches closed
In a third lockdown to contain the spread of a highly infectious variant of COVID-19, the Catholic bishops of Scotland denounced the new measure as "arbitrary and unfair."
French archbishop, others protest proposal to rein in religious extremism
The head of the French bishops' conference said a proposed law designed to rein in extremist militancy would place religions and religious believers under particular surveillance.
Pope will not baptize infants on feast day this year
The cries of newborn babies will not fill the Sistine Chapel in 2021 because the COVID-19 pandemic has forced Pope Francis to cancel infant baptisms on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
Lebanese man’s decades of research helps great-uncle’s sainthood cause
Fares Melki first learned 60 years ago how his great uncle, a Capuchin Franciscan priest, was killed in the Armenian genocide. Melki has spent more than 40 years documenting the martyrdom of Fathers Leonard Melki and Thomas Saleh in a time of persecution and pandemic.
Nigerian bishop, driver released by kidnappers
An auxiliary bishop and his driver were released Jan. 1 after being kidnapped five days earlier. He was the first Catholic bishop to be kidnapped in Nigeria, along with several priests and hundreds of others since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009.