International News

News from outside of Canada.

Assyrian patriarch dies; was promoter of unity, served for 39 years

April 2, 2015

CHICAGO - Catholicos Dinkha IV, patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, died March 26 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. A virus infection and pneumonia were cited as the cause of death. He was 79.

Via Dolorosa pilgrims not troubled over exact route

April 2, 2015

JERUSALEM - Several pilgrim groups gathered in a sunny courtyard in Jerusalem’s Old City. They were preparing to follow a tradition reaching back at least to the fifth century: walking along the Via Dolorosa, through the cobbled streets of Jerusalem’s Old City.

Indiana bishops call for 'mutual respect' in 'necessary dialogue' on RFRA

April 2, 2015

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana's Catholic bishops April 1 urged people to show mutual respect for one another and allow "the necessary dialogue" to take place to make sure no one in the state will face discrimination, "whether it is for their sexual orientation or for living their religious beliefs."

Holy See calls for international effort to end Boko Haram insurgency

April 2, 2015

GENEVA - The Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations in Geneva called on the international community to assist Nigeria and neighbouring countries to rid the region of Boko Haram insurgency.

Can a Muslim president defeat Boko Haram? Nigerians are betting on it

April 1, 2015

A northern Nigeria Muslim leader who promised to pursue a nonreligious agenda as president will now have to deal with an Islamic terrorist insurgency that has wreaked chaos in the country’s north.

Christian leaders call for end to 'profound evil' of the death penalty

April 1, 2015

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of Christian religious leaders of various churches signed onto a Holy Week call to end the death penalty in the United States.

Lebanon's religious leaders affirm Christianity's role in Middle East

March 31, 2015

BEIRUT - Lebanon's Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim religious leaders affirmed the "essential role" of the Christian presence in the Middle East and called for terrorism in the region to be confronted "culturally, educationally and politically."

Syrian refugees in Jordan cling to hope for peace so they can go home

March 30, 2015

ZAATARI CAMP, Jordan - Abu Bilal, a slender man in his 40s, is surrounded by cages of bright yellow canaries merrily twittering.

Priest advocates for peace in Colombia

March 29, 2015

Nobody has shot at Fr. Jesus Alberto Franco since Feb. 13, 2013. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the situation in Colombia is getting better.

President, first lady to welcome Pope Francis to White House Sept. 23

March 27, 2015

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will welcome Pope Francis to the White House Sept. 23.