International News

News from outside of Canada.

Women vital to seminaries: Ouellet

April 30, 2020

VATICAN CITY -- The Church must “radically change” how priests interact with women, starting by injecting more female voices into priestly formation at seminaries, said Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet.

Famine fears growing amid COVID-19

April 30, 2020

Dire predictions of a worldwide famine due to COVID-19 are already coming true, according to organizations in Africa and Asia that work with Canadian Church partners.

Knights of Malta grand master dies at 75

April 29, 2020

VATICAN CITY -- Fra' Giacomo Dalla Torre, who led the Knights of Malta following a tumultuous period of internal tensions and rocky relations with the Vatican, died at the age of 75, the order announced.

Catholic bioethicist: COVID-19 vaccine could be question of conscience

April 29, 2020

MANCHESTER, England -- A vaccine produced with the help of cells derived from aborted fetuses could present an ethical dilemma for Catholics and others opposed to abortion, said a senior researcher from a Catholic bioethics institute.

Dutch cardinal fears surge in euthanasia

April 29, 2020

MANCHESTER, England -- A Dutch cardinal predicted that the number of euthanasia cases will surge after the Netherlands’ highest court gave the green light to allow the killing of dementia patients who are no longer able to give consent.

Chinese communist officials remove crosses from two church buildings

April 29, 2020

HONG KONG -- Communist authorities in territory covered by the Anhui Diocese removed crosses from the top of two church buildings, sources told ucanews.com April 27. The sources said they fear more such actions.

Parishes in Spain adapt pastoral services during COVID-19

April 28, 2020

OXFORD, England -- When Father Peio Sanchez founded his "field hospital" in an old monastery building in Barcelona, Spain, in 2017, he hoped it would offer some refuge to the Mediterranean city's 3,300 homeless inhabitants.

Dozens test positive for coronavirus at Rome pontifical university

April 27, 2020

ROME -- At least 39 people at a Rome pontifical university tested positive for the coronavirus, the rector said.

Italian bishops demand plan for resuming public Masses

April 27, 2020

ROME -- The Italian bishops' conference accused the government of adopting plans to ease the country's COVID-19 lockdown rules in a way that "arbitrarily excludes the possibility of celebrating Mass with the people."

Fears mount for threats to religious freedom in northeast Syria

April 24, 2020

AMMAN, Jordan -- Religious freedom advocates and medical practitioners have expressed concerns about the COVID-19 response in northeast Syria.