Former Vatican banker convicted of money laundering, embezzlement (The New York Times) A Vatican court on Thursday convicted a former senior official at the Vatican bank and his lawyer of embezzlement and money laundering, sending a strong signal that the church was determined to get its financial house in order. The defendants — Angelo Caloia, the president of the Vatican bank for two decades, and his onetime lawyer Gabriele Liuzzo — had been accused of embezzling millions of euros through shady real estate deals between 2002 and 2007…
Pope deplores Iraq bomb attacks (Vatican News) Pope Francis on Thursday condemned a twin bomb attack in a Baghdad market, and described the attacks as “a senseless act of brutality.” At least 32 people were killed in the suicide bombings and over 100 others wounded…
Catholic leaders welcome Biden plan to rejoin Paris climate accord (CNS) Catholic leaders welcomed President Joe Biden’s Inauguration Day announcement that the United States would rejoin the Paris climate change agreement. Such action would allow the U.S. to work to reach the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has called for, and position the country to become a global leader in addressing climate change, the leaders said…
Report: Christians face climate of fear in six Asian countries (UCANews) Christians in six Asian countries live under extreme persecution where feudal, oligarchic, authoritarian and theocratic governments call the shots, says the latest report by a Christian advocacy group. The 2021 World Watch List, compiled by the US-based Christian advocacy group Open Doors, says North Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Iran and India are hotbeds of Christian persecution in Asia…
Pelosi’s archbishop: ‘Nancy Pelosi does not speak for the Catholic Church’ (Catholic San Francisco) On Jan. 18, 2021, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized pro-life voters who voted for Donald Trump on the abortion issue, saying their votes cause her “great grief as a Catholic” and accusing them of “being willing to sell the whole democracy down the river for that one issue.” San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone issued the following statement in response…
