International News

News from outside of Canada.

Philippine president open to talks, despite comments against bishops, spokesman says

January 15, 2019

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is open to talking with church leaders, his spokesman said after the president called on people to kill and rob bishops.

Pope Francis discusses abuse crisis with Chilean bishops

January 14, 2019

VATICAN – Pope Francis spent nearly three hours with bishops from Chile discussing the sexual abuse crisis that has rocked the church in the country, a Chilean bishop said.

Venezuelan bishops say Maduro government a 'de facto regime', call for change

January 14, 2019

CARACAS, Venezuela – The Venezuelan bishops' conference has labeled the new government of Nicolas Maduro "illegitimate" and called for a "change in government."

Justice is the central theme for Week of Prayer

January 14, 2019

Indonesian faith leaders didn’t have look far for inspiration in choosing the prayers for the 111th annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Fount of confusion: Rome mayor says Caritas will still get Trevi Fountain coins for the poor

January 14, 2019

ROME – After weeks of confusion and consternation, Rome's mayor told the Vatican newspaper that Rome Caritas would benefit not only from the coins tourists throw in the Trevi Fountain, but from coins tossed in any of the city's historic water features.

Archbishop Vigano urges McCarrick to repent publicly to bring healing to 'suffering Church'

January 14, 2019

VATICAN – A former papal representative to the U.S. has written an open letter to Archbishop Theodore McCarrick that urges the archbishop to repent publicly of the sexual abuse and misconduct of which he stands accused.

Rome government makes a wish: Trevi Fountain coins will no longer go to the poor

January 14, 2019

ROME – Most of the tourists who have tossed coins over their shoulder into Rome's Trevi Fountain over the past 20 years probably did not know that they were helping the city's poor.

Welcome centre tries to make a home away from home for Venezuelan migrants

January 11, 2019

LIMA, Peru – Elide Pena, 55, grins when she talks about her favourite Christmas memory: the time when she fell under Santa’s sleigh attempting to grab a toy for one of her grandchildren during a Christmas party in her native Venezuela.

Wuerl knew: Diocese confirms McCarrick coverup by former Washington cardinal

January 11, 2019

WASHINGTON – An allegation of misconduct against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick was reported to Cardinal Donald Wuerl in 2004, despite Wuerl’s insistence he knew nothing about McCarrick’s alleged sexual misconduct until 2018.

Venezuela’s refugee wave is growing

January 11, 2019

Neighbouring countries are bracing to receive an additional five million Venezuelan refugees this year on top of the three million people who have already left the crisis-stricken nation.