Local Church

Statue of Padre Pio Weeping Blood and Marian Apparitions in Germany: Two New Cases for Ecclesiastical Study

The current investigations therefore unfold in a space between faith and caution, hope and verification. Whether the tear on the face of Padre Pio or the reported visions at Sievernich ultimately receive a positive judgment remains uncertain

Jun 15, 2026 09:07

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Local Church

The Patriarch of Moscow has transferred Hilarion, a prominent Russian cleric, to Brazil after drugs were found in his car

Once regarded as one of the most influential voices in the Russian Orthodox Church and widely viewed as a possible successor to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the 59-year-old prelate now finds himself transferred to two small parishes in southern Brazil amid a growing cloud of scandals and an ongoing criminal investigation.

Jun 08, 2026 09:40

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Local Church•Protection of vulnerable people

German government recognizes the Catholic Church as a model in the fight against child sexual abuse

One of her strongest observations concerns the local level, where child protection often succeeds or fails. She suggested that some Catholic communities have developed prevention mechanisms that, in practice, exceed standards found in municipal structures

May 25, 2026 17:10

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Cardinals and Bishops•Controversies•Dicasteries•Homosexuality

Will the Vatican sanction German bishops for blessing same-sex couples? The Pope’s Secretary of State responds

Speaking on May 7 on the sidelines of a book presentation in Rome, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, said it was “premature” to discuss sanctions against German bishops. At the same time, he carefully avoided excluding the possibility of future intervention

May 09, 2026 10:08

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Controversies

The German Belorado. Were They Manipulated? The Strange Case of the German “Rebel Nuns” in Their 80s Who Made Global Headlines

The Goldenstein case also echoes other recent conflicts in Europe involving religious communities and property disputes, such as the high-profile situation of the Poor Clares in Belorado, Spain

May 02, 2026 12:10

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Good News•Local Church

Belarus releases Discalced Carmelite friar accused of espionage

His release came within a broader exchange described as a “5-for-5” format, involving individuals convicted of espionage or related offenses in Belarus and Russia being swapped for detainees held in European Union countries and elsewhere. In total, 10 prisoners were involved across multiple jurisdictions.

May 01, 2026 16:17

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Testimonies

This is the viral video with 8.1 million views showing happy nuns eating a Turkish kebab in Germany

From the convent to viral fame: a 92-year-old nun, a kebab, and the digital face of religious life

Apr 29, 2026 10:45

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Justice and Peace

Easter Under Fire: A Fragile Truce Between Russia and Ukraine Collapses as Fighting Resumes

The symbolism of the moment was difficult to ignore. Easter, the central feast of the Christian calendar, commemorates resurrection and renewal. Yet along the front lines of a war now entering its fourth year, it instead exposed the limits of religious gestures in the absence of political convergence

Apr 14, 2026 11:36

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Cardinals and Bishops•Local Church•Vatican Diplomacy

A new papal nuncio to manage the Holy See’s relations with the progressive German episcopate

Van Megen has demonstrated awareness of the inherent tension between Rome and local Churches, acknowledging that divergences between papal teaching and pastoral practice are a recurring feature of Catholic life

Apr 11, 2026 18:10

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Cardinals and Bishops•Controversies•Local Church

Controversial Antwerp bishop expands on his idea of ordaining married men and shares his thoughts on women

Bonny proposes exploring new forms of ecclesial ministry for both men and women, particularly in light of unresolved debates about the role of women in ordained ministry

Apr 03, 2026 21:24

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Local Church•Vatican Diplomacy

Prague Blocks Vatican Pact: Confession Secrecy and Church Archives at the Heart of Constitutional Clash

The agreement, signed in Prague in October 2024 by then–Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, was intended to define the legal framework governing the Catholic Church’s status in the Czech Republic

Apr 02, 2026 21:34

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Testimonies

After Reason, What Remains? The Death of Jürgen Habermas and His Unfinished Dialogue with Faith

What endures most is perhaps not a system, but a question—one that Habermas himself left unresolved. Can modern societies, built on pluralism and procedural reason, sustain the moral depth required for their own survival? Or do they depend, in ways they cannot fully acknowledge, on traditions—religious among them—that precede and exceed rational justification?

Mar 16, 2026 10:36

Joachin Meisner Hertz