World

Jubilant crowds greeted the Holy Father this morning as he made his first public appearance in 38 days - sitting a wheelchair on a balcony of the Gemelli Hospital in Rome. He smiled, waved and gave a brief thumbs up and then said: "I see a lady with yellow flowers. Brava! - before giving his blessing. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy4ujJcwxu0 Before appearing on the hospital balcony, Pope F... Read More

Gospel of 23 March 2025 There were some present at that very time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower ... Read More

Pope Francis is scheduled to be discharged from hospital on Sunday, 23 March. He will return to Casa Santa Marta after the Angelus, during which he will greet and bless the faithful from a window of the Gemelli Hospital at noon. At a press conference this evening, Doctor Sergio Alfieri, head of the medical team treat the Holy Father at the Gemelli Hospital, said: "The good news the world and every... Read More

This morning, the Holy See Press Office announced the Pope is planning to greet the crowd outside Rome's Gemelli hospital and give his blessing on Sunday, March 23, shortly after 12pm. The statement said the text of the Angelus will be shared as it has been the last few weeks. While the doctors have not yet given any indication as to when the Pope would be discharged from the hospital, this greeti... Read More

Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, celebrated Mass for Ambassadors to the Holy See at the Jesuit church in Rome, on Thursday evening, to pray for Pope Francis' health. In his homily Archbishop Gallagher underlined the Pope's gratitude "for the closeness and the prayer that rises abundantly to Heaven for him." The Archbishop focused his homily on the divine l... Read More

A Catholic psychotherapy initiative in the West Bank has been instrumental in addressing the mental health crisis in the Holy Land - where at least 60 percent of Palestinian Christians need counselling. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem opened the Bailasan Counselling Centre in Bethlehem in June 2024, with support from Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). It is the only mental heal... Read More

The Britain Palestine Project (formerly the Balfour Project) has commended a new initiative by Medical Aid for Palestinians, Christian Aid and Save the Children which spells out actions the UK Government must take to uphold and implement international law in Israel/Palestine. They seek: - the immediate release of all hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians; - implementation of phases two ... Read More

As he recovers from bilateral pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, Pope Francis released his message for the 62nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which falls this year on 11 May. Entitled 'Pilgrims of Hope: The Gift of Life,' the Pope's message recalls that every vocation - be it to ordained ministry, consecrated life, or the laity - should offer the world a sign of God's hope for every person... Read More

Soldiers from the State Administration Council (SAC), which falls under the authority of Myanmar/Burma's military junta, reportedly set fire to St Patrick's Cathedral in Banmaw, Kachin State, on the evening of 16 March. The cathedral, a significant historic and spiritual landmark for Kachin's Christian community, was targeted during military operations conducted by the junta shortly before the cel... Read More

A new group from the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel have released a report on incidents in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley, and South Hebron Hills. The latest group of ecumenical accompaniers marks the sixth successful implementation underway since the war started on 7 October 2023. The WCC Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palesti... Read More

A Religious Sister in northern Mozambique has described how Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is helping to save lives and preserve the Faith in a region devastated by ongoing Islamist violence. More than 5,000 people have been killed in Cabo Delgado Province and thousands "have lost everything" because of the insurgency - but the Church is working hard to ease the suffering, according to Sister Apa... Read More

Together, we can become better instruments of peace On March 15, 2025, the first-year theologians from the Jesuit Formation Centre of Theology in Ranchi embarked on a journey to Kutingia to visit the mazar (tomb) of Fr Herman Rass, SJ, who was martyred for peace during the communal violence that erupted in the area in 1964. This visit was a key component of our course on Christian-Muslim dialogue.... Read More

The Government of Israel's most recent assault on the Gaza Strip is a devastating and reckless blow to the hopes of all who long and pray for a different outcome: for the Palestinians of Gaza whose lives and entire way of life have been destroyed in the last 18 months, and for all who long to see hostages returned to their families. It is so clear that there is no military solution to this situati... Read More

On Wednesday evening, the Holy See Press Office released the following update on Pope Francis' health: "The Holy Father's clinical condition is confirmed to be improving. The Holy Father has suspended non-invasive mechanical ventilation and also has less need of high-flow oxygen therapy. Motor and respiratory physiotherapy is continuing to make progress." "This morning, on the Solemnity of Saint J... Read More