International News

News from outside of Canada.

German bishops regret lawmakers' vote to legalize same-sex marriage

July 4, 2017

OXFORD, England – Germany's bishops' conference expressed regret over a June 30 parliamentary vote to allow same-sex weddings, vowing to defend the "Catholic understanding of marriage."

Pope calls for respecting UK parents' wishes to care for dying child

July 4, 2017

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis called for respecting the wishes of a terminally ill child's parents to accompany and care for their child "until the end."

Christian, Muslim leaders highlight Lebanon as country of coexistence

July 4, 2017

BEIRUT – Top Christian and Muslim leaders and Lebanese government representatives agreed that Lebanon should be highlighted as an example of peaceful coexistence, noting that "the deepening of democracy in Lebanon sends a message of hope to the Arabs and to the world."

Pope Francis donates $75,000 euros to Greek island struck by earthquake

July 4, 2017

ATHENS, Greece – Pope Francis has donated 50 thousand euroes ($73,000) to the island of Lesbos, Greece, which is recovering from a June earthquake.

Vietnamese Catholic blogger sentenced to 10 years in prison

July 4, 2017

HANOI, Vietnam – A Vietnamese court sentenced a Catholic blogger to 10 years in prison for propaganda against the Communist government. Rights activists described the sentence as "heavy."

Arizona fire forces residents from homes; blaze fuelled by high winds

July 4, 2017

PHOENIX – Residents of the town of Mayer, including roughly 100 families who regularly attend Mass at St. Joseph Mission, were allowed to return home June 29 after evacuating for a time because of the Goodwin Fire burning in the nearby Prescott National Forest.

Doctors say it's a miracle that toddler survived ninth-floor fall

July 4, 2017

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The doctors at the Children's Hospital in San Miguel, Argentina, find no explanation for the quick recovery of Martin Chain – a three-year-old boy who fell from the ninth floor when he was playing on the balcony of his apartment.

Despite rumours, soccer superstar Messi not denied Catholic wedding

July 4, 2017

LIMA, Peru – An Argentine diocesan official has clarified that the local archbishop did not deny a sacramental Catholic wedding to Argentinian soccer player Lionel “Leo” Messi and his girlfriend, Antonella Roccuzzo.

What China can learn from the Vatican in handling Hong Kong

July 3, 2017

Pope Francis and President Xi Jinping came into their present roles within a day of each other in 2013 – Pope Francis was elected March 13 and Xi became president March 14. However, they have each followed a completely different path in governing immense and cumbersome entities – the People's Republic of China and the universal church.

Resilience, resourcefulness help Gazans cope with daily hardships

July 3, 2017

JERUSALEM – Gazans demonstrate an "inspiring" resilience and resourcefulness and more importantly, a sense of hope, despite the daily hardships they face, said the regional director for Palestine and Israel of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.