Analysis Opinion•Local Church•Religious Freedom

Chinese Government Poses Problems for the Catholic Church in Hong Kong Over the Secret of Confession

Given that Chinese Catholics can commit crimes during protests or actions related to the Hong Kong Authority and confess them in the Sacrament of Penance, priests could be accused of crimes against the Law of sedition, if they don’t reveal knowledge of these actions, which the secrecy of the Sacrament impedes them from violating. Under the banner of “National Security,” henceforth the Hong Kong police will be able to carry out any intervention against a priest.

Apr 07, 2024 15:04

Rafael Llanes

Persecuted Christians

Attacks Against Christians Increase in India So Far in 2024: These Are the Data

The first 75 days of 2024 have seen a large-scale erosion of human rights and protection for Christians. Chhattisgarh is the state with the highest number of attacks against the Christian minority, especially with the prohibition of access to water wells for Christian families in villages.

Apr 07, 2024 14:56

Rafael Llanes

Local Church•Protection of vulnerable people

Two Cardinals, Abuses and Pope’s Investigation

One news program commented that «the police could not find sufficient evidence to meet the evidentiary test, which requires sufficient evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction.»

Mar 15, 2024 23:53

Rafael Llanes

Gender Ideology•Justice and Peace•Local Church•Marriage and Family

Ireland Rejects Change in the Constitution and Continues Protection of Women and the Family

The Catholic Church in Ireland pronounced itself against the changes driven by the Government and the majority of the parties of the Opposition. In a world increasingly estranged from family values, Irish citizens rejected the amendments with 65% of the votes.

Mar 14, 2024 00:35

Rafael Llanes

Liturgy and Divine Worship•Pope Francis

Pope Francis Confirms to Priestly Society of Saint Peter That They Can Continue Celebrating Mass in Latin

The FSSP has grown and has 368 priests, 22 deacons and 179 seminarians. The average age of its members is 39. It’s present in 146 dioceses, celebrates Mass in 246 places and directs 48 parishes.

Mar 12, 2024 05:25

Rafael Llanes

Justice and Peace•Pro Life•Young People

Mob Surrounds and Attacks Pro-Life Students of Manchester University: Threatened to Violate the Pro-Life Women

They were spat on, physically threatened, and they yelled at a student that they would «rape her.» Jacob, treasurer of the Manchester Pro-Life Society, told Catholic Herald that «if it wasn’t for the police and security, people would have been physically hurt.»

Mar 10, 2024 23:49

Rafael Llanes

Gender Ideology

Greece succumbs to gender ideology: gay marriage and adoption by homosexuals legalized

As in other countries, the new law goes beyond granting rights to those who follow the LGBTI position: it grants them additional benefits, such as prohibiting statements contrary to their ideology or penalizing those who engage in so-called «conversion therapies» for minors.

Feb 27, 2024 01:55

Rafael Llanes

Pope Francis•Rome

Amid farmers’ protests across Europe, caravan stops at the Vatican and gives tractor to the Pope

They entered St. Peter’s Square with the tractors they used during the days of protest, organized against European policies that ban pesticides and impose minimum prices on their products. They also presented the Pope with «a tractor, a symbol of our effort,» flour brought from their regions, the image of a Christ found in a field, and a bell used to call animals.

Feb 27, 2024 01:41

Rafael Llanes

Persecuted Christians

Call in India to Remove Christian Symbols from Faith-Run Catholic Schools

Moreover, Hindu groups promote the image of Christianity as a diabolical force that intends to destroy the native Hindu culture with the conversion of Hindus to Christianity.

Feb 26, 2024 01:13

Rafael Llanes

Vatican City

First Auditor General of the Vatican Appeals Ruling of the Vatican Court

In Vatican law and Italian law, the prosecution and defense can appeal verdicts, and second appeals are allowed.

Feb 19, 2024 00:37

Rafael Llanes

Local Church•Testimonies

War in Ukraine? Leader of the Eastern Greek-Catholic Church, the Most Numerous in Communion with the Pope, Responds

His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk asks if “as a shepherd of this suffering people: is it possible to sacrifice millions of Ukrainians suffering atrocities at the hands of the Russian occupiers for a so-called peace? Can I sacrifice my communities and be calm, while our Church is banned in the occupied territories? “Can I sacrifice our priests kidnapped by the Russians, about whom we have not heard anything for a year?”

Feb 06, 2024 18:13

Rafael Llanes

Local Church

The Philippines: Faced with Proposals for Changes in the Country’s Constitution, the Church Expresses Her Opposition

The change is proposed to attract foreign investment. Opposed voices warn that it will increase the exploitation of natural resources and of indigenous lands.

Feb 05, 2024 23:27

Rafael Llanes