New bishop: healing a top priority in Buffalo (CNS) Nobody said it was going to be easy in being placed in charge of a diocese where “60 Minutes” did a story on the contentious handling of clergy sexual abuse allegations, with the diocese later declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Still, while acknowledging “a clear failing” on the part of the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, in the past, incoming Bishop Michael W. Fisher sees his appointment to the western New York diocese as a “great gift…”
Report: Persecution on the rise amid pandemic (Crux) Anti-Christian persecution is on the rise, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report. Every day, more than 340 million Christians suffer discrimination, inequality or active persecution in at least fifty countries in the world, according to a report released Wednesday by Open Doors, a Christian human rights organization…
Iraqi Catholics asked to pray for pope’s visit to their country (CNS) The head of the Chaldean Catholic Church issued a petition on Jan.14 calling on Iraqi Catholics to pray at Sunday Masses that Pope Francis will be able to visit their country for the upcoming papal trip in March. “Lord our God, grant Pope Francis health and safety to carry out successfully this eagerly awaited visit,” Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako said. “Bless his effort to promote dialogue, enhance fraternal reconciliation, build confidence, consolidate peace values and human dignity, especially for us Iraqis who have been through painful ‘events’ that affected our lives…”
Vatican museums hope to reopen in February (Vatican News) The current Covid-19 situation in Italy does not allow for certainties but “The intention is to reopen the Vatican Museums on 1 February.” This is according to Vatican Museums Director, Barbara Jatta, who told Vatican Radio that it has proved necessary to extend the current closure of the Museums for an extra 15 days, after having previously set 16 January as a possible date for re-opening …
