Pope Francis offered prayers and expressed his closeness with the people of Germany after severe flooding in the western part of the country claimed the lives of more than 80 people.
Pope prays for victims of German floods as death toll rises
Vatican prosecutor seeks six-year sentence for priest on trial
A Vatican prosecutor requested that Father Gabriele Martinelli, who is accused of sexually abusing a younger student at the St. Pius X Pre-Seminary, be sentenced to six years in prison if convicted.
CRS gradually restores services in Haiti amid series of crises
A series of debilitating crises in recent weeks — from a surge in COVID-19 cases to the assassination of a president — has left Haiti reeling again in uncertainty and forced Catholic Relief Services to curtail its outreach efforts.
Iraqi prelate: Dignity takes longer to rebuild than structures
At the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, Archbishop Warda said in a July 14, 2021, address that beyond Iraq’s infrastructure needs, what needs to be rebuilt is the dignity of those who suffered under the Islamic State group.
Genocide charges ‘must be pursued,’ Smith says at religious freedom summit
In July 14, 2021, address to the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, Smith said China’s leader Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party have exponentially increased persecution against religious believers “in ways not seen since the Cultural Revolution.”
Study finds 221,000 Catholics left the church in Germany during pandemic
Fewer people are leaving churches in Germany, but church life suffering under pandemic; people say their distancing from the faith, church “taxes” are the reasons why.
Coalition launches campaign to prepare legal resource for migrants
Immigrant advocates, including Catholic organizations, launched a campaign July 13 to provide legal aid those who may need it, in case Congress, under the Biden administration, approves some type of reform.
Court hears church’s lawsuit over Washington state law on abortion coverage
A Seattle-area Christian church is fighting a Washington state law that requires churches to provide coverage for abortion despite their religious or moral objections.