World

The Buddhist monks of a temple in the Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, spontaneously gathered for a specia ritual to pray for the health of Pope Francis and his speedy recovery. During the Puja ritual, the monks bow before an image of the Buddha to ask for blessings and offer flowers, food, water and other offerings. The ceremony, which took place a few days ago in the Agrashravaka temple of the M... Read More

A Holy See Press Office statement on Friday evening said Pope Francis' respiratory condition worsened following an isolated bronchospasm (narrowing of the airwaves). The Pontiff was promptly started on non-invasive mechanical ventilation, to which he is responding. The statement said: "The Holy Father, this afternoon, after a morning spent alternating between respiratory physiotherapy and prayer i... Read More

The ABCD Bethlehem-supported Rehabilitation Centre in Nur Shams Refugee Camp in the northern West Bank has been closed until further notice as part of the enforced evacuation of the UNRWA-run camp over the past two weeks. The Centre was offering life-changing therapies on a weekly basis to around 65 children and their families. The IDF have now confirmed that the camp has been emptied of its 13,50... Read More

A Vatican Press Office statement on Thursday evening said that Pope Francis' clinical condition continues to show improvement. The statement said the Pope slept well the night before and his clinical condition was confirmed to be improving again on Thursday. The statement said: "He alternated high-flow oxygen therapy with a Ventimask. Due to the complexity of the clinical picture, further days of ... Read More

Cardinal Vincent Nichols received a message today from Fr Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of Gaza's only Catholic parish. In his note, conveyed via Canon Mark Madden of the Holy Land Coordination Group, Fr Gabriel detailed a telephone call Pope Francis made to him from his hospital bed on Monday, expressing the parish's gratitude for the Holy Father's outreach. Despite ongoing health challenges, ... Read More

This evening (Wednesday) the Holy See Press Office sent the following update on Pope Francis' health: "The Holy Father's condition has shown a slight further improvement over the past 24 hours. The mild kidney insufficiency observed in recent days has subsided. A chest CT scan carried out last night showed a normal progression of the lung inflammation. Blood tests conducted today confirmed the im... Read More

Religious leaders belonging to widely diverse faiths, will be gathering on Sunday, 2 March, in Reno, Nevada to hold a candlelight vigil and offering special prayers in their respective traditions for the full and swift recovery of Pope Francis, hospitalized in Rome. Organized by Hindu statesman Rajan Zed and hosted by Unity Minister Toni King; it will include prayers from several Christian denomin... Read More

Pope Francis has authorized the promulgation of several decrees for the Causes of Saints, advancing the causes of canonization for US military chaplain Fr Emil Kapaun; Italian layman Bartolo Longo, the 'Apostle of the Rosary' and five others. In an audience yesterday with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs, Pope Francis auth... Read More

A military chaplain serving in war-torn Ukraine has given a moving account of his spiritual support for thousands of soldiers who risk their lives every day. Father Witalij Novak told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that he ministers to a brigade of 3,000 men. He said that soldiers called to the frontline never know if they will still be alive the next day, adding: "The moment wh... Read More

On Tuesday evening the Vatican press office stated: "The Holy Father's clinical condition remains critical but stable. There have been no acute respiratory episodes, and hemodynamic parameters continue to be stable. In the evening, he underwent a scheduled CT scan to radiologically monitor the bilateral pneumonia. The prognosis remains cautious. In the morning, after receiving the Eucharist, he r... Read More

Yesterday, Monday, February 24, 2025, the Media Office of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem held a phone interview with Fr Gabriel Romanelli, Parish Priest of Gaza, to discuss the evolving situation and the hopes of the people following the ceasefire announcement: Relative Improvement in Gaza After the Ceasefire Following the announcement of the ceasefire, the situation in Gaza has seen a sligh... Read More

In a nation scarred by decades of war and political turmoil, faith remains an unshaken pillar for many. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has endured waves of conflict, much of it tied to the lingering effects of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the ongoing struggle for control over the region's vast mineral wealth. Against this backdrop, the Redemptorists continue their mission, offering educat... Read More

Three years have passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Marking the anniversary, the Holy See has renewed its appeal for peace. The Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations of the Holy See, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, delivered a message at the 1,509th reinforced meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operati... Read More

Anka Skoryk, Interim CEO, Depaul Ukraine looks back on the last three years of the war on Ukraine during which time she lost her own home and had to take refuge in the local church. Anka writes: When the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine began three years ago today, I woke in my home in Kharkiv to the sound of missile explosions and quickly sheltered in the basement of my local church. I was... Read More