Local Church•Persecuted Christians

Nicaraguan dictatorship attacks the Church once again and expropriates school owned by nuns

After a government decree, the school has been renamed the “Bismarck Martínez Educational Center,” in honor of a Sandinista militant killed during the 2018 anti-government protests

Aug 15, 2025 10:02

Enrique Villegas

Pro Life

Dominican Republic Holds Firm on Absolute Abortion Ban Despite Global Pressure

What makes the outcome extraordinary is not only the scale of the victory, but the imbalance of forces. The Dominican pro-life movement is modest in size, lean in resources, and largely ignored by mainstream media

Aug 13, 2025 16:02

Enrique Villegas

Local Church•Testimonies

Brazilian Catholic priest takes Volkswagen to court for modern slavery

Volkswagen Brazil, in a statement to The Washington Post, has denied all allegations and vowed to “pursue justice” in court. The company declined to grant interviews.

Aug 08, 2025 23:00

Enrique Villegas

Local Church

Government projects allusions to abortion in Mexico City cathedral

The Culture Secretariat acknowledged the Cathedral’s request and agreed to “act accordingly,” though it remains unclear whether the deleted content will reappear elsewhere or is gone for good.

Jul 17, 2025 17:00

Enrique Villegas

Local Church•Young People

Chilean census reveals sharp decline in Catholicism: what is the current percentage of Catholics?

The latest figures, released by the National Institute of Statistics, show a simultaneous surge in those claiming no religious affiliation—now more than one in four Chilean adults

Jul 10, 2025 21:50

Enrique Villegas

Local Church•Woman

Laywoman Appointed Chancellor of Mexico City Archdiocese in Historic First

Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, Archbishop Primate of Mexico, announced the groundbreaking appointment after consultation with his auxiliary bishops. He described it as a meaningful step toward a more synodal and co-responsible Church that fully embraces the diverse gifts of its faithful.

Jul 06, 2025 23:42

Enrique Villegas

Cardinals and Bishops•Local Church•Protection of vulnerable people

Crisis Deepens in Lima Archdiocese Amid Abuse Allegations and Accusations of Mismanagement Under Cardinal Castillo

A key flashpoint involves a contemplative nun who claims she was sexually manipulated by Fr. Nilton Zárate, a priest allegedly close to Cardinal Castillo. According to a 2024 sworn statement obtained by U.S.-based outlet The Pillar, the nun describes years of inappropriate spiritual direction that veered into manipulation and coercion

Jul 06, 2025 23:31

Enrique Villegas

Cardinals and Bishops•Local Church

Pope Francis’ confessor dies in Argentina at age 98

Pope Francis would later speak of Dri as a model of merciful priesthood. When struggling with the idea of forgiving too generously, the pope said, “I think of Father Dri, and I find peace.” His elevation to the College of Cardinals was not a reward for administrative service or theological prominence, but a public recognition of a priest whose holiness was rooted in listening, forgiving, and welcoming.

Jul 03, 2025 19:22

Enrique Villegas

Local Church•Religious Freedom•Vocations

Amid Tight Restrictions, Nicaragua Allows Rare Clergy Ordinations in Managua

Still, in the face of this long night of repression, the Pentecost ordinations offered a flicker of grace. The eight new deacons—products of a diocesan seminary that still holds over a hundred seminarians, as well as a Redemptoris Mater house of formation—stand as a testament to perseverance

Jun 13, 2025 20:40

Enrique Villegas

Local Church

Salesians Chart a New Course for a Changing World as CG29 Concludes in Rome

Throughout their time in Turin and Rome, participants delved into three major areas: revitalizing vocational life, fostering deeper synergy between Salesians, lay collaborators, and the wider Salesian Family, and overhauling the governance structures at all levels of the congregation

Apr 16, 2025 16:37

Enrique Villegas

Local Church

El Salvador: Pope’s Nuncio condemns presence of Anglican “bishopess” (and not only) during important Mass

The Anglican woman bishop was given a prominent role in the ceremony, including participation in the entrance procession, sharing the homily, and being positioned at the altar during the liturgy.

Mar 27, 2025 21:57

Enrique Villegas

Local Church

Scandal in Brazil: Anglican “Priestess” (Concelebrates? And Receives the Eucharist During Inauguration Mass of New Catholic Bishop

Archbishop Odelir José Magri, who assumed his position after being appointed by Pope Francis in November of 2024, praised the ecumenical character of the event in his homily, mentioning Vivian De Oliveira by name. However, her inclusion in the celebration has generated a debate on the limits of inter-religious dialogue and fidelity to the norms established by Canon Law.

Feb 19, 2025 17:31

Enrique Villegas