Washington D.C.,: When it comes to religious persecution, Christians are the most widely targeted community, said a new report released this week. But despite oppression and threat of violence, the faithful “should not be afraid,” said a Pakistani archbishop. Pakistan’s Christians have made vital contributions to the country’s history andContinue Reading
Rome: Pope Francis urged governments on Saturday to get migrants and refugees out of holding centres, saying many had become “concentration camps”. During a visit to a Rome basilica, where he met migrants, Francis told of his trip to a camp on the Greek island of Lesbos last year. HeContinue Reading
Lisbon: Pope Francis is an ardent football fan, but a Vatican cricket team comprised of priests and seminarians will take centre stage in an interfaith tournament in Portugal this week. St Peter’s Cricket Club — the Vatican XI — will compete against Muslim, Hindu and Jewish teams on its thirdContinue Reading
Vatican City: Time Magazine has released its 2017 list of the world’s 100 most influential people, and Pope Francis is among the leaders highlighted by the publication. The nomination included a brief reflection on Pope Francis, written by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago, who reflected on the Pope’s humility,Continue Reading
Dublin: Public pressure mounted today on the Irish government over plans to give ownership of a new 300- million-euro maternity hospital to a Catholic religious order mired in historical abuse of women. More than 60,000 people have signed a petition and a number of demonstrations have been organised against theContinue Reading
Muscat: The imam of an Omani mosque has returned a 250,000 rial (Dh2.4 million) cash prize from a bank raffle, saying it would be unlawful for him to accept the money under Sharia. Sheikh Ali Al Ghaithi, 70, who lives in the northern city of Sohar, returned the money onContinue Reading
Washington: The White House raised the possibility on Wednesday of Donald Trump meeting Pope Francis during the US president’s trip to Italy in late May, although it stressed nothing has been scheduled. “We will be reaching out to the Vatican to see if an audience with the pope can beContinue Reading
Rome: Francis invited four children wearing first communion garb to join him on his open-topped Popemobile for a tour of St Peter’s Square on Wednesday during his weekly general audience. The children greeted the crowd with the pontiff, who was wearing a white overcoat to stay warm in chilly, single-digitContinue Reading
London: During renovations at the former site of a medieval church in London, England, construction workers uncovered the entranceway to a hidden crypt. Inside lay 30 lead coffins, including the remains of five former Archbishops of Canterbury. It’s a completely unexpected archaeological finding—showing that even London’s most famous historical sites stillContinue Reading