News/International

Scaffolding surrounds the damaged Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris April 15.

New fundraiser launched for rebuilding of Notre Dame in Paris

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A novel fundraising approach to restore one of the most iconic monuments in the world, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, enables donors to have a piece of history.

A man holds a Uyghur flag at a rally in Berlin during the visit of China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi Sept. 1, 2020. The religious persecution exercised by China and North Korea, restrictions on religious freedom in dozens of countries and the continuing threat of violence at the hands of religious fundamentalists belonging to a variety of faiths all have worsened since 2018, said Aid to the Church in Need, a papal foundation and Catholic charity.

Papal charity sees increased violations of religious freedom globally

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VATICAN CITY -- The religious persecution exercised by China and North Korea, restrictions on religious freedom in dozens of countries and the continuing threat of violence at the hands of religious fundamentalists belonging to a variety of faiths all have worsened since 2018, said Aid to the Church in Need, a papal foundation and Catholic charity.

Catholics stand outside Sts. Anne and Mary Cathedral in Cork, Ireland, April 4, 2021, praying that it would be open for Easter Mass during the COVID-19 pandemic. Churches in the Irish Republic have been closed for public worship since Dec. 26, but on April 16, the health minister made it a crime to celebrate or attend a public Mass.

New law on Mass attendance in Ireland 'draconian' according to local church leaders

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DUBLIN -- The head of the Irish bishops' conference said the government's move to criminalize attendance at Mass as part of COVID-19 regulations was a "potential infringement of religious freedom and of constitutional rights."

Catholic media tycoon and philanthropist Jimmy Lai, pictured in a May 29, 2020, photo, was sentenced to 12 months in jail in Hong Kong after being found guilty of unauthorized assembly. He was among nine activists in court April 16 who earlier were found guilty of charges relating to pro-democracy demonstrations.

Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong Catholic media tycoon, jailed for 12 months

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HONG KONG -- Catholic media tycoon and philanthropist Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 12 months in jail after being found guilty of unauthorized assembly.

Demonstrators march past burning debris during a protest against the government of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in Port-au-Prince March 28, 2021.

Police fire tear gas into Haitian bishops' Mass for freedom

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MIAMI -- A "Mass for the freedom of Haiti," led by Haitian bishops, turned violent at the end when police fired tear gas into the church.

The Vatican in 2018 bought this building at 60 Sloane Avenue in the Chelsea neighborhood in London as an investment after first owning a partial stake in the property. The acquisition of the building has devolved into multidimensional scandal. In the latest development, Italian authorities issued an arrest warrant for Gianluigi Torzi, an Italian broker who served as the middleman in the Vatican's purchase of the property. The building is pictured in 2012.

Italy issues arrest warrant for broker in Vatican property deal

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Italian authorities issued an arrest warrant for Gianluigi Torzi, an Italian broker who served as the middleman in the Vatican's majority stake purchase of a property in London's posh Chelsea district.

People pray during Mass in 2015 outside Sacred Heart Church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Five priests, two nuns and three laypeople were kidnapped in Haiti April 11, 2021.

Five priests, two nuns, three laypeople kidnapped in Haiti

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VATICAN CITY -- The latest victims of rampant kidnappings in Haiti are five priests, two nuns and three laypeople who were abducted together on their way to a parish near the capital of Port-au-Prince early April 11.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, is pictured tipping his hat outside London's Buckingham Palace Aug. 2, 2017.

Former chaplain to Queen Elizabeth says Prince Philip was deeply interested in God

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MANCHESTER, England -- The former chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II remembers Prince Philip as a man so deeply interested in God that he often would arrange conversations with Jewish and Muslim scholars, then put himself into the role of the Christian theologian.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, are pictured standing on the balcony of London's Buckingham Palace June 16, 2001. Prince Philip, the longest-serving consort of any British monarch, died April 9, 2021, at age 99, Buckingham Palace said.

London cardinal leads Catholics in mourning death of Prince Philip

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MANCHESTER, England -- Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster led Catholics of England and Wales in mourning the death of Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II.

Swiss-born Father Hans Küng, a prominent and sometimes controversial theologian who taught in Germany, died April 6, 2021, at age 93. Father Küng is pictured in a 2015 photo.

Swiss-born Father Hans Küng, theologian, dies at 93

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BERLIN -- Father Hans Küng, the prominent and sometimes controversial Swiss Catholic theologian, died peacefully in his sleep in the university town of Tübingen, Germany, where he had lived and lectured since 1960, said a spokesman for his Global Ethic Foundation. He was 93.

Police in London stand on the altar at Christ the King Polish church and halted a Good Friday service after a complaint that pandemic regulations were not being met. The parish claims police "brutally exceeded their powers."

London police halt Good Friday service, say pandemic protocols violated

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LONDON -- Police halted a Good Friday service after a complaint that pandemic regulations were not being met, leading the parish priest to complain that officers had "brutally exceeded their powers."

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