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December 11, 2018

U.S. returns 'Balangiga Bells' to Philippines after more than 100 years

Philippine soldiers use a crane to lift three Balangiga Bells off crates during a turnover ceremony Dec. 11 at Villamor Air Base near Manila. After more than a century, the United States government has returned the three church bells swiped by American forces as war booty from the central Philippine town of Balangiga in 1901.

MANILA, Philippines – After more than a century, the United States government has returned three church bells swiped by American forces as war booty from the central Philippine town of Balangiga.

Published in International
November 27, 2018

President Duterte tells Filipinos to quit Catholic faith, stop paying Church 'idiots'

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his State of the Nation address July 23 at the House of Representatives in Manila.
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte renewed his attacks on Catholic leaders and urged Filipinos to stop going to church altogether.
Published in International
September 17, 2018

Rescue workers continue search for missing Filipinos after Typhoon Mangkhut

Rescue workers and volunteers search for buried villagers Sept. 16 after Typhoon Mangkhut hit Itogon, Philippines. Villagers had taken shelter in an abandoned mine shaft that collapsed.
MANILA, Philippines – Rescue workers continued the search for missing Filipinos trapped in an abandoned mine Sept. 17, two days after Typhoon Mangkhut hit the northern Philippines.
Published in International
September 14, 2018

Church officials in Philippines assemble 'surge team' for super typhoon

Villagers in Aparri, Philippines, secure a boat Sept. 14 in preparation for super Typhoon Mangkhut. The storm threatens more than 4 million people in the north of the country.
MANILA, Philippines – The social action arm of the Philippine Catholic Church has convened its "surge team" as super Typhoon Mangkhut threatened the country in mid-September.
Published in International
August 9, 2018

Filipino Catholic media urged to confront 'fake news'

In this 2016 file photo, Filipinos walk past a newspaper stand in Manila, Philippines. A Philippine church official urged about 150 priests, women religious and lay people working in Catholic media to confront "fake news" during the annual National Catholic Media Convention Aug. 6-9 in Davao City.

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Filipinos working in the church's social communication ministry need a lot of prayer and a "sense of mission" to be able "to combat fake news" and work for peace, a gathering in Davao City was told this week.

Published in International
August 2, 2018

Philippine church leaders fear suicide bombing may heighten tensions with Muslims

Residents who returned from evacuation centres walk past a bullet-ridden house Oct. 29, 2017, believed to have been used by pro-Islamic State militant group leaders in Marawi, Philippines.
COTABATO, Philippines – Security forces were placed on full alert in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao following a deadly suicide bomb blast in Basilan province that killed 10 people.
Published in International
July 26, 2018

Philippine clergy, advocates say human rights dying under President Duterte

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his State of the Nation address July 23 at the House of Representatives in Manila. Religious leaders and activists say human rights are dying under Duterte's rule.

MANILIA, Philippines – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte warned the public during his third State of the Nation address July 23 that his two-year war on drugs would become even "more chilling" in the coming days.

Published in International
July 24, 2018

Cardinal Tagle laments deaths of innocent people in Philippines

A student and woman religious display a sign as they participate in a procession to protest plans to reimpose death penalty and intensify the drug war during "Walk for Life" in late February in Manila, Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines – A teary-eyed Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila lamented the deaths of innocent people killed since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office.

Published in International
July 10, 2018

Duterte says he'll curb tirades, then tells bishops not to criticize him

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, right, greets Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, before a meeting inside the presidential palace in Manila.

MANILA, Philippines -- Outspoken Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is to curb his tirades against the Catholic Church after agreeing to a moratorium on statements deriding priests and bishops.

Published in International
July 10, 2018

Philippine bishops announce days of prayer, fasting, penance for peace

People walk past makeshift homes in early May at a shantytown outside Manila, Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines -- Catholic bishops in the Philippines, concerned about an increase in violence and police reaction to crime, announced a day of prayer and penance July 16 and three days of fasting, prayer and penance, July 17-19.

Published in International
June 27, 2018

Duterte seeks collaboration with Philippine bishops after calling God 'stupid'

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is seen in Seoul, South Korea, June 5. During a technology summit in the southern city of Davao, Philippines, June 22, he questioned how Adam and Eve brought about "original sin."
MANILA, Philippines – After calling God “stupid,” Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday that he will seek to have a dialogue with the country’s bishops’ conference in an effort to repair relationships.
Published in International
June 12, 2018

Philippine priest gunned down while preparing for Mass

Father Richmond Villaflor Nilo of the Diocese of Cabanatuan, Philippines, became the fourth priest gunned down in the last six months as he was killed June 10 while preparing to celebrate Mass inside the Nuestra Senora dela Nieve chapel in Zaragoza. He is pictured in an undated photo from his Facebook page.
MANILA, Philippines – Father Richmond Villaflor Nilo of Cabanatuan Diocese was gunned down inside a chapel in Zaragoza June 10 as he was about to celebrate Mass, reported ucanews.com.
Published in International
June 6, 2018

Third Philippine priest shot since December

People stroll in front of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Manila, Philippines, in this 2014 file photo.
MANILA, Philippines – A Catholic priest who once served as chaplain of the Philippine National Police was wounded after a gun attack June 6 in Calamba City, about 25 miles from Manila.
Published in International
April 17, 2018

Philippines to deport Australian nun who advocated for farmers

Sister Patricia Fox, superior of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion in the Philippines, speaks to the media after her April 17 release from the Bureau of Immigration headquarters in Manila. Philippine authorities arrested the 71-year-old Australian nun for allegedly engaging in illegal political activities.
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine authorities have arrested, detained and intend to deport a 71-year-old Australian nun for allegedly engaging in illegal political activities.
Published in International
March 27, 2018

No Holy Week observance planned in war-torn Philippine city

A military truck maneuvers next to destroyed buildings in the war-torn city of Marawi, Philippines. There will be no Holy Week observance this year in Marawi almost a year after extremist gunmen occupied the southern Philippine city.
MANILA, Philippines – There will be no Holy Week observance this year in Marawi almost a year after extremist gunmen occupied the southern Philippine city.
Published in International
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