Pope Francis

Pope Francis’ camera to be auctioned: bidding starts at this impressive starting price

The starting bid of €30,000 was quickly eclipsed, and the current online offer stands at €75,000—already surpassing the upper end of its original estimate

Nov 20, 2025 18:20

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Local Church

Germany: Initiative to name street after Benedict XVI meets with opposition

Yet the proposal has ignited objections from survivor advocacy groups who argue that public spaces should not memorialize figures whose legacies, they say, are inseparable from the systemic mishandling of abuse cases within the Catholic Church

Nov 17, 2025 17:44

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Local Church

Research shows that German Catholics have a stronger attachment to the Church than Protestants

According to the study, which surveyed around 1,000 church members and was presented in Berlin this month, only 39 percent of practicing Christians in Germany say they would choose to belong to their church again if the decision were theirs as adults

Oct 30, 2025 20:04

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Cardinals and Bishops•Local Church

Applauded by some, criticized by others: this is Cardinal Schönborn’s new successor at the helm of the prestigious episcopal see of Vienna

Pope Leo XIV’s decision to elevate him—one of the first major episcopal appointments of his pontificate—appears to reflect the new pope’s desire to balance fidelity with openness

Oct 20, 2025 13:11

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Local Church•Pope Leo XIV

Luxembourg has a new Grand Duke: this is what the Pope said in his message on the day of his coronation

Leo XIV invoked the protection of the Virgin Mary over Guillaume and extended his Apostolic Blessing to all Luxembourgers, wishing them peace and harmony in this new chapter of their national life

Oct 06, 2025 17:10

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Pro Life

Dutch Parliament says no to abortion as a human right

Opposition parties with Christian roots played a decisive role

Sep 30, 2025 12:01

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Local Church

Germany: Dancing on Good Friday will remain illegal, according to the Constitutional Court

Germany’s Top Court Upholds Ban on Good Friday Dancing, Reaffirming Sacred Quiet in a Secular Age

Sep 18, 2025 08:36

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Justice and Peace•Religious Freedom

Strasbourg ruling leaves unresolved the issue of restrictions on worship and Masses during the pandemic

The judgment highlights a striking gap: the Strasbourg court has yet to issue a single ruling on pandemic-era restrictions and freedom of religion, despite years of appeals and the profound impact on faith communities

Sep 16, 2025 17:45

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Islam•Justice and Peace

Austria joins Canada and opens the door to Sharia (Islamic law) in the country

In practice, this means that private agreements invoking Islamic law, at least for property-related claims, can be recognized.

Aug 23, 2025 01:07

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Gender Ideology•Local Church

Five German Catholic dioceses openly oppose brochure promoting blessing of same-sex couples promoted by Episcopal Conference

The pushback is not limited to episcopal offices. The lay reform group Neuer Anfang (“New Beginnings”) has accused the German bishops of promoting the opposite of Pope Francis’ intentions, arguing that the new guidelines encourage practices far beyond the scope of Fiducia Supplicans

Aug 09, 2025 23:07

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Analysis Opinion•Religious Freedom

These are the Catholic groups attacked in a report sponsored by Bill Gates and Soros simply for defending what they believe in

Critics from across Europe’s faith-based institutions have been quick to respond. They insist that defending unborn life, upholding the natural family, or supporting ethical alternatives to controversial sexual education are not signs of extremism but expressions of moral conscience. And they warn that if such voices are excluded from the democratic conversation, the result will not be harmony—but deeper polarization.

Jul 30, 2025 16:00

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Local Church•Vatican Diplomacy

Vatican Embassy in Kyiv Damaged Amid Escalating Russian Strikes

The Nunciature’s location—within a sector known for housing embassies—raises troubling questions about the evolving scope of the conflict and the vulnerability of international missions. While no official confirmation links the Vatican embassy as a direct target, its proximity to detonations suggests that even traditionally protected zones are no longer spared.

Jul 15, 2025 17:59

Joachin Meisner Hertz