World

A Catholic priest has given a harrowing account of how he nearly lost an eye after being kidnapped by armed extremists in Nigeria and held captive for 51 days. Father Alphonsus Afina was kidnapped by Islamist terrorists Boko Haram on 1st June 2025. He was viciously beaten, his belongings stolen and car torched before being held captive with other survivors in a remote mountain area. The priest wa... Read More

The Vatican announced today that St John Henry Newman is to be being proclaimed a Doctor of the Church. During an audience granted to Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Pope Leo XIV has "confirmed the affirmative opinion of the Plenary Session of Cardinals and Bishops, Members of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, regarding the title of Doctor of th... Read More

While both Church of England bishops and Quakers have welcomed Keir Starmer's conditional move to recognise Palestine at some time in the future, they appeal for urgent action now to end the horrific situation unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank. Quakers in Britain said a statement: Keir Starmer said last week that statehood is "the inalienable right of the Palestinian people". Yesterday he said ... Read More

The priest injured in an attack on the only Catholic church in Gaza has thanked Aid to the Church in Need (AC) for its support - as innocents continue to suffer. A shell from an Israeli Defense Forces tank hit the Holy Family Catholic Church, in Gaza City on 17 July, killing three people and wounding 12 others including Parish Priest Father Gabriel Romanelli. Speaking to ACN today, Fr Gabriel, who... Read More

The Tangaza Journal of Theology & Mission, published by Tangaza University College in Nairobi, carries a lengthy paper by Irish missionary priest, Fr Patrick Devine PhD, on the subject of "Conflict and Religion in Eastern Africa: A Conceptual Consideration of Radicalisation, Fundamentalism, Extremism, Terrorism, Tolerance, and their Interaction Dynamics". The purpose of the paper is to seek to... Read More

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, in a statement on 29 July, expressed profound concern and unwavering condemnation following yet another violent assault that targeted the West Bank Christian town of Taybeh. "Several vehicles were set ablaze, and hateful graffiti was sprayed-an unambiguous act of intimidation directed at a peaceful and faithful community rooted in the land of Chr... Read More

Once again, Taybeh, the last all-Christian town in the West Bank has been attacked by illegal Israeli settlers. The Forum of Holy Land Christians released the following statement yesterday. About 2.30am today (28 July) some masked men broke into the Palestinian Christian town of Taybeh, to the east of Ramallah, torched cars and sprayed hostile graffiti in Hebrew. This incident comes twenty days a... Read More

Children at a summer camp were among up to 40 people killed in a church massacre in the east of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked the Catholic church in Komanda, Ituri, yesterday. Victims were shot and hacked to death with machetes. Father Marcelo Oliveira, a Comboni missionary in North Kivu eastern province, told Aid to the Church in Nee... Read More

Pope Leo XIV launched an appeal for victims of wars across the world and expresses particular concern for the population of Gaza, praying for the release of hostages and the full respect of humanitarian law. He said: "My heart is particularly close to all those who are suffering because of conflicts and violence in the world. May the Prince of Peace inspire everyone to seek dialogue and reconcili... Read More

Pope Leo XIV marked the fifth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly and welcomes young pilgrims of hope arriving in Rome for their Jubilee on Sunday. Speaking after the Sunday Angelus with pilgrims in St Peter's Square, the Holy Father reminded those listening that the theme of this special day, is: "Blessed is the one who does not lose hope." "Let us look to grandparents and the elderly as ... Read More

The Bishop of Innsbruck, Mgr Hermann Glettler, has issued a forthright statement on Gaza. "The recent developments in the Gaza Strip are deeply shocking. This devastating catastrophe must be ended," Glettler said on Tuesday in a statement to Kathpress. Glettler visited the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Monday in his function as the parish bishop for Pax Christi Austria. In this c... Read More

Starvation is spreading across Gaza. As the Israeli government's siege starves the people of Gaza, people are being killed at food distribution sites. Supplies are exhausted, and more lives are being lost each day. Pope Leo has appealed for "an immediate halt to the barbarity of the war." Decisive action is needed now. This is not just a humanitarian crisis - it's the systematic erosion of what ma... Read More

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink..." Matthew 25:36-37 The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land is shocked and distressed by the images, videos, and reports of mass starvation in Gaza. Months of Israeli siege have prevented all aid from entering Gaza. Now, only an inadequate trickle of aid is allowed in, availabl... Read More

In his Message for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, released on Friday, Pope Leo XIV emphasizes the important witness that migrants and refugees offer in a world affected by conflict and inequality in hoping and searching for a better and more peaceful future. This year, rather than being celebrated on September 24 as usual, the World Day will coincide with the Jubilee of Migrants and... Read More