International News

News from outside of Canada.

New report says Germany's Catholic Church faces major decline in membership, revenue

May 16, 2023

Germany's Catholic Church will be forced to give up a third of its properties in the face of dwindling membership and revenue, according to a new report, with many buildings facing demolition unless converted to other uses.

Caritas Internationalis elects new president, stressing local connections in aid

May 15, 2023

Caritas Internationalis, the global Catholic charity network, elected Archbishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo to be its new president following a Vatican-mandated overhaul of its leadership.

Pope Francis, Zelenskyy talk about humanitarian situation provoked by war in Ukraine

May 15, 2023

After literally hundreds of public prayers for peace in Ukraine and 443 days after Russia launched an all-out war on the Eastern European country, Pope Francis welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Vatican.

Ukrainian bishops hopeful for President Zelenskyy's Vatican visit

May 12, 2023

Ukrainian church leaders have cautiously welcomed news of a Vatican visit by their country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after a fresh wave of Russian missile attacks in anticipation of a counteroffensive by Kyiv's forces.

UK bishop denounces new IVF method resulting in first baby born with DNA of three people

May 12, 2023

An English Catholic bishop has denounced the first reported births of "three-parent" babies in the UK as "deeply concerning."

Catholic leaders welcome 'focus on service' at king's coronation

May 8, 2023

Catholic leaders in Britain welcomed the ecumenical and interfaith elements in the May 6 coronation of King Charles III and his consort, Queen Camilla, as well as a pledge by the new monarch "not to be served but to serve."

Kremlin, Ukraine deny working with Vatican on peace talks

May 2, 2023

Moscow is not working with the Vatican to end the war in Ukraine, said a Kremlin spokesperson.

Most victims of mass cult starvation in Kenya are children

May 2, 2023

As the death toll in what is becoming known as the "Shakahola starvation massacre" in Kenya hit 110, religious leaders in the region are finding that the majority of victims are children. They also suspect that not all of the victims died from starvation.

Pope Francis arrives in Hungary preaching cooperation, welcome

April 28, 2023

Paying homage to Hungary's history, culture and location in the heart of Europe, Pope Francis pushed against the notion that the country needed to insulate itself to protect its identity.

Shocking cult starvation massacre in Kenya leaves 95 dead, hundreds missing

April 27, 2023

Catholic bishops in Kenya have expressed shock and strongly condemned the mass "starvation suicide" in Shakahola, a remote forest-ranch area in eastern Kenya, where a pastor led congregants to fast to death.