World

Prayers have been said around the world for victims of the fire and explosion at an Alpine bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, in which more that 40 people died and 110 were injured on 1 January. In a message addressed to Bishop Jean-Marie Lovey, of the Diocese of Sion, where the tragedy took place, Pope Leo said he prayed to the Lord "to welcome the deceased into his dwelling of peace and light, a... Read More

The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) issued the following statement of solidarity with Archbishop Alick Banda after he was sent a summons to appear before an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Commission, on 5 January, which the bishops describe as "harassment" and "persecution." They write: "In the world you will have hardships, but be courageous: I have conquered the world." (John... Read More

Pope Leo XIV expressed his concern today over recent developments in Venezuela, after United States forces attacked the country yesterday and arrested President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in Caracas, taking them to the US for trial. Addressing pilgrims gathered in St Peter's Square for the midday Angelus, the Pope said: "The good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over every other cons... Read More

Israel has ordered the demolition of a football pitch in Palestine! This field is the only green space that is used by young people in Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem - .the only place children feel free, where they play, belong - even with the Separation Wall looming. FIFA and UEFA can stop this, but only if the world is watching. Bulldozers could come any day now. I just signed to help those kids... Read More

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev Prof Dr Jerry Pillay has strongly condemned recent attacks carried out by the United States of America in Venezuela, including the capture and detention of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, describing the actions as "stunningly flagrant violations of international law." In a statement, Dr Pillay warned that the attacks set a dangerous glo... Read More

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has called on the European Union to impose sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel over what it described as a war of genocide in the Gaza Strip and violations against Palestinians in the West Bank, Middle East Monitor reports. Iskandar Majlton, the local coordinator of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel, which is affiliated with the ... Read More

At the final General Audience of 2025 today, Pope Leo XIV invited pilgrims to give thanks for the past, seek forgiveness, and entrust the journey ahead to God's mercy. He recalled that the last few months have been marked by events of contrasting significance. "Some of them joyful," he said, "such as the pilgrimage of so many of the faithful on the occasion of the Holy Year; others painful, such ... Read More

Fifteen years ago this month, in December 2010, with two UK colleagues, I joined an international group of Human Rights Observers in Jerusalem as part of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel. We were each to go to one of seven placements in the West Bank to live alongside Palestinian communities under threat from Israeli settlers and the occupation forces and to work with... Read More

Shortly before Christmas, Israel announced that it will ban 37 major aid organisations working in Gaza from tomorrow, January 1, 2026. The ban is being introduced because Israel allege the organisations failed to meet 'new and stringent requirements', including disclosing staff details and complying with new registration rules. Over the last few weeks, heavy rains and floods in Gaza have inundated... Read More

As the Jubilee of Hope draws to a close, Fides publishes its annual report on Catholic missionaries and pastoral workers who were violently killed worldwide in the past 365 days. The news about the lives and circumstances of these individuals' violent deaths offers a glimpse into everyday life in contexts often marked by violence, misery, and a lack of justice. These are often witnesses and missio... Read More

Chile has joined the swing to the right in Latin America - Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, and Ecuador - with its presidential election two weeks ago, by electing a far-right candidate, José Antonio Kast. Kast is a hardline conservative who has praised General Augusto Pinochet, Chile's former right-wing dictator whose US-backed coup ushered in 17 years of military rule marked by torture, disa... Read More

Pope Leo XIV met with mayors from across Italy today, (Monday 19 December), calling on them to promote "authentically human relationships" in order to combat gambling and other forms of loneliness. The "demographic crisis", the "struggles" of families and young people, social isolation among the elderly, the "silent cry" of the poor, environmental pollution, and "social conflicts" are among the bi... Read More

In his recent Christmas greeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke warmly of Christians in the Holy Land, portraying Israel as a unique refuge where Christians thrive, while implying that elsewhere in the region, they live in constant danger. Such statements resonate powerfully with many Western Christians, particularly those already inclined to see the Middle East through a simple ... Read More

During the Angelus, on the Feast of the Holy Family, Pope Leo XIV called on the faithful gathered in St Peter's Square to continue to pray for peace in the world, and especially for families suffering because of wars. "In the light of the Lord's Christmas, let us continue to pray for peace. Today, in particular, let us pray for families suffering because of war, for children, the elderly, and the ... Read More