Religious Freedom

USA and freedom of religion: 9th Circuit restores funding to Oregon youth ministry

An Oregon youth ministry is challenging state officials for stripping public funding, which they had been previously approved to receive, because of a policy change that discriminates against the ministry’s religious employee and volunteer hiring practices.

Aug 14, 2024 18:03

ZENIT Staff

Gender Ideology•Justice and Peace•Pro Life

New UN treaty seeks to decriminalize some forms of child pornography

Western countries argued during negotiations in the first week of August that children who consensually share sexualized images of themselves with other children or even adults should not be criminalized because they have a «right to develop sexual relationships.»

Aug 14, 2024 18:00

ZENIT Staff

Liturgy and Divine Worship

Questions about liturgy: First Names of Popes and Bishops

Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and sacramental theology and director of the Sacerdos Institute at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum university.

Aug 14, 2024 17:53

ZENIT Staff

Pope Francis•Vatican City

Pope Francis Promotes Sustainability With A New Solar Plant for The Vatican

Solar energy plays an essential role in Pope Francis’ strategy to address climate change. Since his 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’,” the Pope has been a firm defender of climate action and repeatedly appealed to the international community to take swifter and more decisive measures.

Aug 14, 2024 08:26

ZENIT Staff

Interview•Pope Francis•Vatican City

The Papal Court and the Future of the Church

To Participants in the General Chapters of the following Institutes: Society of Divine Vocations (Vocationists), Sisters of the Presentation of Mary Most Holy in the Temple, Society of the Sacred Heart, Dominican Missionary Sisters of St. Sixtus

Aug 12, 2024 17:44

ZENIT Staff

Pope Francis

Discernment, formation and charity: the Pope’s 3 reflections to 4 religious congregations

To Participants in the General Chapters of the following Institutes: Society of Divine Vocations (Vocationists), Sisters of the Presentation of Mary Most Holy in the Temple, Society of the Sacred Heart, Dominican Missionary Sisters of St. Sixtus

Aug 12, 2024 17:34

ZENIT Staff

Good News•Local Church

UNESCO puts Gaza’s ancient Christian monastery on ‘danger list’

At least 207 archaeological sites and buildings of cultural and historical significance, out of a total of 320, have been reduced to rubble or severely damaged by Israel’s deadly military onslaught and indiscriminate bombardment of the Gaza Strip for the last 10 months.

Aug 11, 2024 19:35

ZENIT Staff

Justice and Peace

USA: After ADF lawsuit, NY college student government revises unconstitutional policy, recognizes conservative student group

Two SUNY Cortland students attempted to start a Turning Point USA chapter at their school, but the student government and school faculty denied them group status because of the group’s political views. The students are challenging school officials for violating their First Amendment rights.

Aug 11, 2024 19:32

ZENIT Staff

Angelus•Pope Francis

Pope explains the harm of preconceived ideas and presumption

Allocution on the occasion of the recitation of the Angelus on Sunday, August 11, 2024

Aug 11, 2024 19:29

ZENIT Staff

Local Church•Pope Francis

Controversy in East Timor Over the Cost of the Papal Visit for Which the Pope Is Not to Blame

Despite the criticisms, the majority of Catholics in East Timor await Pope Francis’ arrival enthusiastically; he is the second Pontiff to visit the country after John Paul II’s visit in 1989. This visit is framed in the 25th anniversary of East Timor’s Independence, in which the Catholic Church played a fundamental role in the fight for human rights.

Aug 11, 2024 08:19

ZENIT Staff

Cardinals and Bishops

Cardinal Gerhard Mũller Rejects and Contests Accusations of Poor Financial Management and Denounces Defamatory Attacks

The Cardinal described these accusations as an attempt to revive a story already clarified almost a decade ago, for the sole purpose of damaging his reputation.

Aug 11, 2024 08:16

ZENIT Staff

Local Church•Pope Francis

In Face of Pope Francis’ Forthcoming Visit to Indonesia, Islamic Extremists Target Churches for Attacks

Indonesia, the nation with the world’s largest Muslim population, has been the scene of repeated attacks against churches and other religious minorities, such as the Ahmadiyya Muslims.

Aug 11, 2024 08:10

ZENIT Staff